A New Beginning?
by Broken Resistance
Summary: Sequel to: JaCoS. ANB? is back! Slick has run from the Newsies in Manhattan only to end up in a new part of town with a new posse...could this really be A New Beginning? I'm back! And willing to upload the WHOLE story if I get reviews to do so!
1. New Faces, New Places

*****DISCLAIMER*****: I DON' OWN ANY OF THE NEWSIES YA KNOW FROM THE MOVIE, THE GIRLS AT THE BAR OWN THEMSELVES, I DO OWN SLICK, SLY, RAIDER, BLADE, AN' ANYONE ELSE YA DON' KNOW OR AREN'T TOLD OTHERWISE......ENJOY!!!

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A/N: Ai'ght, here ya all go, the first of MANY chapters to be re-posted makes faces at FF.net …Enjoy

A New Beginning?

By: Slick o' Brooklyn aka Brooklyn Raider

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Chapter 1- New Faces, New Places

"So....what Newsies da ya know?" Katz asked trying to sound offhand, as they continued into Brooklyn.

Slick smirked, she knew what Katz was really asking, 'which one's your boyfriend, an' what's it like living with them.' "Mainly the Manhattan ones." She figured it was best to leave Spot out of the conversation at the moment. 

Katz laughed, "The goils'll definitely be all ova ya. Those boys tend ta be some of our best customers. Doll Face was with 'em for a couple a years, but then came ova here."

"Doll Face?" 

"Yeah, see the newsies did give us all "Newsie Names" as dey call 'em" Katz laughed, "Doll Face is really Alexia, but don' worry you'll meet 'em all latea."

"So you don' want me ta use Slick because…?" Slick asked questioningly

"Cause I wanna make sure ya gotta real name, other wise it ain't likely Roger'll give ya a job, 'e likes ta make sure we ain't jus' street trash. 'Specially if ya a goil, which most of us are. So we only use da "Newsie Names" 'round each odda." Katz answered

"Oh." Sierra said in understanding. "So what's yer real name?"

"Katelin. Katelin Fallert. An' yer Sierra...? Katz trailed off waiting for Slick to answer

"Rylan. Sierra Rylan. It's my real name too, ya better feel privileged ta know it too." Slick said with a smart-ass smile.

"Oh I do." Katelin said her smile matching Sierra's. "Here we are." The two girls stopped outside a bar. It wasn't near as glitzy looking as Irving Hall, but Slick found she like the look of it just from the outside. "It ain't nothin' special, but it pays good an' we get a good crowd, 'specially when Alexia or onea the otha girls is performing."

"Performin'?" Slick asked, a waver in her usual steady voice.

"Jus' the talented ones." Katz reassured her with a smile. "Common, let's go in, my shifts about ta start pretty soon." Slick followed Katz into the building.

The inside deceived the outer look. It was dim, as most bars tend to be. A stage dominated the front section of the large room, with a bar located along the back, stools standing ready for customers, tables littered the rest of the room, most were empty this time of day, but a few held some patrons. 

"Welcome ta Salvatore's." Katz said before heading down the five steps that lay between them and the main floor. "'Ey Roger!" She yelled.

There was a pause before a young man walked out of a door behind the bar. "What da ya want?" He paused seeing Katz, "Oh it's only you" 

"Cute." Katz said sarcastically, he smirked. 

But from her own personal stand point, Sierra thought that was the perfect word to describe the young man. He was tall, shaggy black hair spilled over his eyes, which she guessed were a shade of hazel, the thing that struck her was how young he was, her age she guessed, which would only make him about 17. 

"I thought so." He said giving Katz a mocking smirk. She glared. His smirk dropped as he inspected Sierra. "Who's this Katz?"

At the word 'Katz' Slick made the fast assumption that this wasn't Roger. "This, Damien, is Sierra, a new friend of mine."

"Friend? Wow, I didn' know ya had any." Damien smarted back, earning anther glare from Katelin. "The name's Damien." He said walking over to shake Slick's hand.

Slick quickly checked the impulse to spit in her hand before she held it out, "Sierra." She hated the sound of herself using her real name; it just sounded off to her. 

"Pleasure" Damien said. Slick was right, hazel eyes, gorgeous ones at that.

"Where's Roger?" Katz asked impatiently, while Slick was mentally chiding herself for the thoughts running through her head.

Damien turned his attention back to Katz, "I'll get 'im for ya, he's back talking ta the otha girls, or maybe it's jus' Alexia, I don' know." Katz just shook her head and ushered Damien off.

Slick watched his retreating back, and heard Katz start snickering behind her, "What?!" 

"Don' 'What?!' me, I know exactly what's running through that brain a yers. 'E may be good looking, but under all that 'e's nothin but a pain in da ass that needs a good soakin' from yers truly." Slick laughed.

"Katz?" 

Katz turned around at the sound of her name, coming in the door was a young tanned girl. Her shoulder length brown hair streaked with red highlights shining in the sunlight from the open door, ice blue eyes finished off her 5'3" complexion. "Heyya Emotions, how's it goin' girl?" the girl walked up and pulled Katz into a quick hug, before turning her curious eyes to Slick.

"Hey." Emotions greeted Slick.

Katz grinned, "Sierra this is Annabelle, known as Anna or Emotions. Anna this is Sierra also known as Slick." 

Slick cringed at the sound of Slick, and hoped the girl wouldn't burst into questions about her already acquired "Newsie Name". She didn't but instead held her hand out with a big smile.

"Pleased ta meet ya Slick." Emotions said with a welcoming smile

Katz grinned, looking happy with herself, the look turned into a more serious one as Damien came walking up leading an older version of himself. "Hello Mr. Salvatore."

The man looked at Katelin with amusement in his eyes. "You never call me that Katelin."

She smiled, "Hey Roger."

"That's better. So who's this?" Roger asked looking at Slick with interested eyes.

"Uhm, this is Sierra Rylan, I was wonderin if you were in the need of more waitresses or stagehands or somethin'" Katz said quickly. 

Roger studied Sierra, before smiling, "I'm sure we can work something out Sierra, my name's Roger Salvatore, I own this place, I'd prefer it if ya'd call me Roger, as you can see." He said, gesturing back to Katelin. Slick tried to smile through her nervousness. Roger laughed, "I don' believe everyone is coming tonight, so Katelin, jus' start her on waitressing with you, Alexia is performing, Anna? You wanna do an act tonight?"

Annabelle's eyes got huge, "Um............lemme think about it?" She asked.

Roger nodded. "When Hayley gets here send her into the back, I need to talk to her." Damien started snickering at the name of the hyper girll, but Emotions and Katz quickly backed up their absent friend with glares in his direction. 

"Alright." Katz said, and motioned for Sierra to follow her, "I gotta show ya the ropes before the evening crowd gets 'ere."

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A/N: Lets see if we can get my reviews back up to 200+ ok??? Cause I really miss them!! Hope you enjoyed…


	2. The Crowd

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Chapter 2- The Crowd

Slick was only an hour into her shift, but she already felt overwhelmed. Katz had done a good job showing her the balancing method for holding trays laden with drinks and food, teaching her how to give the orders to Damien or whoever was working the bar, and cleaning her up. Though Slick almost had to run out on the whole thing when Katz said she had to wear a dress, the two had compromised, mainly under Slick's threatening fist, and so Slick was stuck wearing a skirt and a nice shirt. Her point was further justified by the fact that all the other girls stayed away from the dresses and stuck to skirts and simple shirts. She would have died in embarrassment if any of the boys would have walked in and saw her like this. Slick had met most of the other girls while Katz was fighting her in cleaning her up, including the hyper Hayley, she felt bad for thinking so, but Slick could tell why Damien had started laughing at the mention of the girl's name before. She really hadn't met anyone with the amount of energy Hayley had, and her nickname, Splash, seemed to do her justice. 

Aside from meeting Splash and Emotions earlier, Slick also met Alexia 'Doll Face' Miller herself, the short girl made quite the impression on Slick, who had a respect for those musically talented, unlike herself. 

Nevada Mckinney was the next girl she met, Slick's first impression of her was that this was one girl she would want on her side in a fight, her green eyes seemed to know everything that was going on, they almost reminded her of Raider's eyes. Nevada seemed a little wary towards Slick at first, but after the two started talking she warmed up. 

Next on the greeting list was Katie 'Skatters' Reece, the Blonde-haired blue eyed girl was exuberant yet extremely welcoming of Slick, her 5'4" frame put her about 4" shorter than Slick, but she was one of the sweetest girls she'd met in a long time.

The next blonde girl Slick met really seemed to deserve her name as well Nicole 'Dreamer' Makram, was just that a Dreamer, you could see it in her bright blue eyes. Slick almost laughed out loud when Roger had come and asked if there would be anyone interested in doing an act since Anna was holding back and Nicole was practically jumping up and down for the job. 

It was no wonder Sierra was already tired and when Katz informed her she hadn't even met all of the girls yet, that she wondered how she would ever be able to keep their names straight. But after being set straight by Katelin's point of how she could keep all the Newsies straight, (No pun intended -lol-) she figured she'd get it eventually.

Both Doll Face and Dreamer had great acts, and Slick was rightfully impressed, Katz was right too though they both brought in a great crowd. A crowd, unfortunately for Sierra, that needed to be constantly tended to.

Damien watched the new girl with interest as she rushed back and forth with orders, then food and drinks, she moved with such a slickness that his naughty boy thoughts started wandering. But when he was caught staring and not doing his job, was when Katz took the opportunity to smack him none to lightly over the head with a tray, and glare at him.

Slick wasn't blind, she saw the looks she was getting from all corners of the room, including the ones from behind the bar and from the eyes of a co-worker. They made her uncomfortable, she was used to guys watching her, it was normal back in Chicago and even in Manhattan or other parts of Brooklyn. But that was when she was dressed like one, and the looks were those of respect and wariness, not ones that wanted to gaze over the curves of her body that were more visible in the clothes she was wearing. It was just too weird, that she even glared her notorious icy glare at some of them, it set most back in their rightful places, but she was informed by Nevada that she probably shouldn't scare off customers. 

All in all it was a long night for someone who had a very rough week, and Sierra was plenty glad when the last of the patrons were ushered out. And, she along with the other girls, Damien, Roger and Avery, another young bartender and a good friend of Damien's, cleaned the place up, and headed out. 

Slick had her small bag of possessions thrown over her shoulder and stood on the step outside Salvatore's waiting for Katz to finish up her argument with Damien and come out. She was dressed again in her normal boy street clothes as were all the other girls who were leaning against the wall next to her. "So.........uhm......... where do ya guys stay?" She asked trying to sound offhanded.

All six girls looked up at her with surprise, "We all stay in a lodgin' house inside Queens." Nevada spoke up.

"Really?"

"Yeah, where didja think we stayed? We ain't got no families." Skatters said. 

Nevada, shifted slightly, escaping everyone's attention except Slick's, but she didn't say anything, instead answered Skatters's question, "I didn' know, Katz didn' say anythin ta me, jus' lead me here."

Doll Face laughed, "Sounds like Katz, jus' kinda rushes on, kinda skips the later details. Don' worry, we got room for ya, but it's 3 cents a night."

Slick smiled, "Alright, thanks." 

Katz walked out of the door at that moment with a laughing Avery at her heals the others tried not to laugh, to avoid embarrassing their friend until later. "Shuddup Avery." She muttered before motioning for the other girls to follow and the 8 of them headed back off towards Queens.

"So.........Katz, what was that all about?" Splash asked with a knowing smile, Katz shot her a dark look, which caused the rest, including Slick to crack up. "Hey Katz, didja know ya forgot ta tell Slick she could stay with us?"

Katz looked at Slick guiltily, "Oops............ sorry Slick."

Slick grinned at her new friend, "Don' worry about it."

The grin was knocked off her face though as two figures stepped out into the 8 girls' path and glared at them darkly, "Where do ya t'ink you goils is goin'?"

The girls stopped dead and looked back and forth at each other nervously, this was why they traveled in groups at night, but they had never actually been stopped. Slick didn't appear to nervous though, instead a smart-ass grin crawled onto her face, the light from the moon must have illuminated it because the bigger of the two boys turned to her with a gleam in his eye, "Somethin' funny?"

"Yeah actually." Slick said, while the other girls turned to her like she was nuts, "Uhm............Shiner, ya want those cards a yers back yet?" 

"Dammit Slick, what'er you doin' 'ere?" Shiner hissed

"Walkin' what's it look like? Who's that with ya? Laz?"

An affirmative grunt came from the other boy, as Shiner looked at Slick and her pack of girls with slight amusement, "Honestly Slick, whatcha doin' 'ere, I ain't neva seen ya this far inta Brooklyn."

"And that's something we need to keep between the ten of us got it? Spot can not know I was 'ere." Slick said suddenly, realizing the predicament she'd put herself in. 

The eyebrows raised on the other nine as the looked at her curiously, but for different reasons. Right now Slick just ignored the girls and concentrated on making sure Shiner and Laz didn't go reporting to good ol' Spot that she was in Brooklyn. "Got it?" she asked.

"Got it, dis gets me an' Laz inta any trouble though, it's all comin' down on yer head though Slick." Shiner said seriously, wanting at all costs to avoid the temper of his leader. Slick smiled slightly but nodded. "Oh an' yeah, gimme my cards back!" 

Slick laughed, and reached into her bag slung over her shoulder, pulled out the pack of cards and handed them to Shiner. "Thanks for their uses, theys a nice packa cards!" Shiner shook his head, nodded to the girls and motioned for Laz to follow, and the two disappeared into the night.

"Care ta explain that Slick?" Katz asked once the girls were on their way again.

"Explain what?"

"Explain how you know a couplea Spot Conlon's goons." Emotions said.

Slick looked around uneasily at the dark alleys, "Not 'ere." The rest nodded and made a beeline for the lodging house in attempts to avoid being stopped again.

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"Ok, now you explain!" Hayley said once the girls were settled in their bunks in their own separate room in the Queens Girl's Lodging House. It was a lodging house for all girls in Queens who needed it, but the girls who worked at the bar had their own bunkroom. 

"Explain what?" Fighter asked, she was new to Slick, but she could see how the black-haired girl got her name. 

"Explain how a couplea Conlon's goons knew her an' how she knew them." Nevada said looking at Slick with interested eyes.

"You know some of Mr. I'm so High an' Mighty Spot Conlon's goons?" Fighter asked.

"HEY! He's not all bad!" Katz and Doll Face yelled at the same time.

Slick cracked up, "Yeah I know some of his goons, an' I know Conlon himself." The eyebrows of all the girls quirked up. She smirked, "He was or rather kinda is a friend of mine, as with most of his 'goons' an' the Manhattan newsies." Excitement shone in all pairs of eyes now, "Geez, they ain't that great." She muttered

"Yeah they are!" Splash screeched, and was echoed, though not so enthusiastically by the rest.

"Alright so I can see ya know 'em. But PLEASE do me a favor?" Slick almost pleaded.

"What?" Dreamer asked.

"Don' tell 'em, any of 'em ya know me, or jus' don' eva mention my name, at least my "Newsie Name", Slick." Slick said earnestly.

"'Ow come?" Skatters inquired.

"'Cause right now I need a li'l space from 'em." Slick answered

"Ya do know they come by the bar doncha?" Dreamer put in

"Yeah, but I'll conveniently not be waitressing those days. Jus' please, promise me?" 

All heads nodded, "Promise." Was the unison response.

"Thanks." Slick said relieved

"Alright, lets go ta bed." Katz said tiredly crawling into hers, her action was mirrored by the rest as they all drifted off to sleep, the last thought going through Slick's head was how different it was to be sharing a bunkroom with girls instead of boys, nice, but very different.

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A/N: An' there's chapter 2 for ya…I'll get 3 an' maybe 4 up soon. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!


	3. The Boys

Chapter 3-The Boyz

A week had passed since the Manhattaners had awoken and seen Slick' empty bunk, it was weird with out her, they all agreed on that, and they missed her too. Raider had been one of the most upset, especially since she didn't even tell him or Sly she was leaving. Sly was getting over it, he was upset too though, since this time they had no idea where she was. Blink felt so lost without the companionship of the spunky girl. Jack, Jack was trying not to show any emotion, though he was jus as upset as Sly, Raider and Blink, she had left again without saying good bye. Spot had found out later that day from a messenger Jack had sent into Brooklyn, he like Raider and Sly wasn't surprised she left, but unlike them, he wasn't quite as upset, he knew Slick could take care of herself. The entire bunkroom felt the absence of their smart-ass friend, their possessions were now where they were expected to be instead of swapped with other objects or 'misplaced' into Slick's pocket. Without her antics, the first week was strange, but life, like it always does, was going on. 

"Heyya Raider, whatcha doin' tanight?" Mush walked into the bunkroom to see Raider sitting on his bunk staring into space.  
Raider looked over at Mush, "Mush, sorry, but ya ain't my type." A hint of a smile played on his lips as Mush gawked at him.  
"That's NOT what I meant!!." He yelled, his face changing to a light red hue as more people scattered through out the room started cracking up.   
"I know." Raider said, he looked like a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders from the laughter.  
"Well whatdaya know, Raids does laugh!" Sly quipped hanging down from the top bunk to look into Raider's green eyes, his own laughing at his friend.  
"Yeah, but don' expect it ta happen too often. I's goin' for a walk, back lata. Oh, an' don' call me that Sly." Sly smirked.  
"Don' get lost." Blink yawned.  
Raider just rolled his eyes as he headed past Jack coming up the stairs. "Walk?" Raider nodded, and moved down the stairs and out the door.  
*****************  
  
It was early evening and the Manhattan Newsie 'household' was inside their lodging house, Spot found it disgusting as he walked up to the door, only to collide with Raider who was walking out. "Oooff....watch it Raider."  
Raider just raised an eyebrow and looked at Spot, "Whater you doin' 'ere?"  
Spot smirked, "Yer fallin nicely inta the New Yorker accent dere Raids."  
"Don' call me that."  
"Whateva ya say Raids."  
Raider's eyes darkened a little but he continued looking at Spot his gaze always defiant towards the Brooklyn leader. "This here is _Manhattan_, you belong in _Brooklyn_." Raider said stressing the name of both Boroughs.  
Spot rolled his eyes, "Geez yer real brilliant." He then smirked, Spot had respect for Raider, he wasn't soft hearted as most of the Manhattaners were, and if he hadn't already been a part of Manhattan Spot would have immediately invited the tall boy over to Brooklyn. "Actually I had some news for you, Sly an' I suppose the rest of this dump." Raider smirked at the 'rest of this dump' part.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah really Sherlock, now common."  
  
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"Arg, this gets tiring."  
"Eh, quite yer complainin _Sierra_"  
"Shuddup _Katelin_." Slick said grinning at her friend in the mirror they were both looking into.  
"Shuddup the both of ya!" Fighter called looking over at the two girls from her position across the room.  
The rest of the girls started laughing from their spots around the dressing room. Slick grinned, she had only been here a week, but she felt as though it had been much longer, the girls, all 10 of them were better friends than she could have ever asked for. Yes 10, Slick had met a few more, so the list was now extended to; Nevada, Splash, Doll Face, Katz, Emotions, Fighter, Skatters, Dreamer, and Belle. Belle had been off in the inner part of Brooklyn on Slick's first day, but the re-meeting of her was a shocking one.  
_  
***************FLASH BACK*****************  
_  
_"Heyya girls, miss me?" Slick turned around at the sound of a new voice, she had just finished zipping up her skirt and was about to walk out and begin her shift when a tall blonde walked into the dressing room. The other girls laughed and most went about their business, except for Katz and Doll Face who promptly walked up to the tall girl and started a conversation. Slick watched the girl with interest, there was something all too familiar about her, she reminded her of someone she knew and someone she had known. Then it hit her.  
"Belle?!"  
The blonde turned and looked at Slick, she was about an inch and a half shorter than her, her eyes were just as she remembered, as was her smile and open face. "Oh my gosh! Slick?!" Belle cried after studying Slick for a second. "Spot didn' tell me you were back!! Somethin' I'll hafta bring up lata, but that's beside the point. How are ya girl?!" Belle rushed up to Slick and gave her a huge hug. Slick had known Belle from her childhood, she was Spot's twin sister, the girl had spent most of her life away with some family that the two still had, but that Spot had refused to go to. But the times that the girl had been around had been some of the best in Slick's memories, Belle or rather Cecile had been a little girly for Slick's taste but the two had always found it easy to talk and get along.  
*******************END FLASH BACK*******************  
_  
A knock sounded on the dressing room door. "Who are ya an' whatdaya want?" Emotions called out.  
"Take a guess, an' ta tell ya fine *cough* ladies *cough* that Roger needs yall out 'ere now, 'cause we're startin ta get a crowd."  
Glares from every corner of the room turned towards the door. "Shuddup Damien we're on our way." Katz took it upon herself to answer. Slick smirked as Katz opened the door to reveal a smirking Damien leaning in the doorway, one eyebrow casually raised. All but her glared evilly at him as they walked past him to their rightful places, he gave her a glance over and a wink as she was the last to walk by, she reprimanded him with a sharp smack across the back of his head. He grinned, she just shook her head and followed her friends.  
  
***  
"So what's yer news Spot?" Raider asked once he and Spot were back in the bunkroom.  
"News?" Snitch inquired.  
"Yeah news, yer best friends Snake and Slider are gone, dey headed outta town on da aftanoon train."  
Sly and Raider looked surprised, "How da ya know?" Raider asked.  
"I's got birds Raids." The taller boy gave him a dark look, which caused Sly to crack up.  
"Well dat's good ain't it?" Jack interrupted.  
"Yeah it's good, 'specially since he don' know where Slick is." Sly said.  
"Where would 'e go?" Race spoke up.  
"Back ta Chicago most likely."  
"If he gets let back in that is." Raider said. Sly shrugged.  
"So whatdaya say we goes ta dat bar in Brooklyn for a li'l lightah atmosphere?" Spot suggested.  
Smiles crept on to faces all across the room, except for Sly and Raider's who were both looking adorably clueless.  
"Salvatore's? Da one where Belle works?" Mush asked, a grin clearly visible on his face.  
"Dat's da one." Spot answered, a slight glare was sent Mush's way in response to his sister's name.  
"Let's go." Jack agreed, he was echoed by numerous other nodding of heads. Sly and Raider looked at each other shrugged, and nodded themselves.  
"Lead the way Mr. Brooklyn." Raider said easily, amidst a glare from Spot, who turned on his heel and lead the way.

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A/N: I must sincerely apologize for not getting this all back up in a snappy fashion, my life has been so freakin' hectic it's scary. Now that I have a little time on my hands I hope to get more up…don't hold me to that…but Katz has been buggin' me for ever to get this up, so here we go. Review _please!! _I may do SHOUTOUTS at a later time…I am SOOO sorry I didn't have time to do them now, an' I'm sooooo sorry for not getting this up sooner!!!


	4. Crap and othernotsonicewords

Chapter 4-"CRAP!!" & Other-Not-So-Nice-Words

The night was just beginning, and already a crowd had come and gone, leaving the bar momentarily empty. Roger came out from the back room and took a look at the ten girls plus two boys sitting around. "Who's doin' an act tanight?" he asked walking up to the chatting group. 

"I will!" Doll Face immediately volunteered.

"Go figure." Avery muttered, earning himself a smack upside the head from Nevada. 

"Nicole an' I'll do somethin." Nevada consented

"So'll I." Belle agreed.

"Nicole? I thought yer name was Dreamer?" Roger asked a gleam of laughter in his eyes.

"Uhm............whateva works for ya!" Dreamer piped up.

"I don' care if ya goils go by dose names da newsboys gave ya or ya gave each odder or whateva, but alright da four of youse'll be on lata." He laughed as he walked away.

"So what's our 'Newsie Names?" Damien asked.

"'Ow 'bout Jackass?" Katz volunteered amidst the snickering of the other girls.

"'Ey! Ya gonna let 'em treat me like dat Sierra?" 

Slick looked at Damien a bit surprised, her laugher residing, "Don' ask me." She said putting her hands up in a 'I surrender' gesture.

"Ya set yerself up fer that one Damien." Avery laughed. Damien just glared at his friend.

"Well, ya can be Butthead if ya want." Katz said to Avery, who turned to glare at her, while Damien took his turn to laugh along with the others.

It was during the second laughing episode that the bar door opened and a flood of Newsies entered. "Crap!! Oh shit, damn, shit!!" Slick swore followed by a whispered Italian curse as she saw some Manhattaners following a few Brooklynites, including, but not limited to: Jack, Spot, Sly, Raider and Blink. The two bartenders looked at Slick with confusion while the eyes of the rest of the girls got wide.

"Common Slick." Nevada whispered to her, "Hide between me, Dream, an' Doll." Slick nodded and crouched between the three girls as they got up to walk backstage and the rest got up quickly to greet the newcomers. 

"Slick?" Damien said confused, the name did not escape the ears of Spot as he looked quickly at the group, Katz's eyes got huge as she elbowed Damien hard in the side, "Nah, he weren't slick, he drooped a whole set a dishes an' broke dem all!" He quickly covered, making a mental note to interrogate the girls later, and absently rubbing his sore side. The other girls breathed an inaudible sigh of relief and greeted their friends.

"Spot! How are ya brothah?" Belle asked walking gracefully up to Spot and giving him a quick hug.

"Not too bad Belle, yerself?" 

"Jus' fine, who are these?" She asked looking with curiosity at Sly and Raider.

"Two new ones from Manhattan. Da short one's Sly an' da otha ones Raider. Dis is my sistah Cecile, bettah known as Belle." 

Sly had a few words to say about being called short, while Raider smiled and held his hand out to Belle, she shook it with a smile, "Pleased ta meet ya both, but if ya'd excuse me, I got a act ta be getting ready for." With that she turned and walked towards the back.

"Heyya Katz." Spot said turning his attention to the curly brown-haired girl, who smiled in return.

"Yeah, well da rest a us are still 'ere too Spot, an' since you ain't doin' introductions, I will." Fighter smarted looking at the rest of the Newsies then back to the two new ones. "Dis 'ere is Splash." The hyper girl grinned, then gave a small smile to Skittery who turned a little red. "Dis is Katz, dat's Emotions, an' dis is Skatters." Each girl grinned and said 'hi' to both Raider an' Sly, Skatters's grin was more of a small smile at the shorter boy, who echoed it.

"Nicely done Fightah." Jack said grinning at the black-haired girl who grinned back, Spot sent a slight glare at Fighter who smirked.

"Ahhemm..........." The six girls turned around to see an expectant Avery standing behind them.

"Yeah, an' dat's Butthead, an' ovah dere is Jackass." Katz finished, the girls cracked up, Avery glared, and Damien was too absorbed in listening to a new customer to really be paying much attention to the gang of teens.

"Dat's NOT what I meant Katz, I was meaning ya need ta be getting' ta woik, it's what yer here for." Avery said then stalked off.

"Katz! 'Motions! Get ovah here!" Damien suddenly yelled to the two girls. They grinned at all the boys before turning and walking back to the bar to help out Damien.

"Alright, I guess, we'll show ya to yer seats!" Splash said in her normal hyperself voice, leading the boys off, with the rest of the girls starting conversations with them.

**********************

"Whaddaya wan' Damien." Katz asked walking over to him, biting back the urge to call him jackass due to the customer standing near by. 

"For you ta behave, but dat would be a miracle. But I do wan' you an' 'Motions ta tend ta da bar while I go help da othah girls backstage." Katz glared at Damien's first comment while Emotions snickered, but nodded in response to his second. Damien nodded, turned and jerked a nod at Avery before heading towards the doors that led backstage. 

"Geez.................he really is a jackass." Katz muttered once Damien was out of earshot. 

"Why daya hate 'im so much? What did 'e eva do to you?" Emotions asked curiously.

"Reasons I care not ta discuss." Katz sniped before turning her attention back to the bar tasks.

Emotions nodded then turned to the customer sitting at the bar.

******************

Slick had made it safely to backstage with out being seen by 'the boys' but now she wasn't sure what to do, Nevada, Dream, Doll Face and Belle had acts to get ready for but she couldn't do much to help them, with the exception of helping them into costumes.

"Who's goin' first?" Damien suddenly appeared backstage and looked around at the group of girls, for once his composure was all business like.

"'Vada an' I'll go first, we're doin' a duet act, jus' make shoah dat Roger don' screw up." Dream answered.

Damien smirked, "Alright, who's gonna finish it up?" 

Doll and Belle turned to each other and had a silent battle for who would get the final spot. Doll Face suddenly turned the other way, her face showing she was clearly not happy, while Belle looked quite pleased with herself. 

"Alright then." Damien said, "I'll go let Roger know." He turned and walked towards the opposite side of the stage, which happened to be stage left (¿? I think. It's been awhile since I've been on stage!) 

"Roger?" Slick asked confused, "What does 'e hafta do with it?" 

Nevada smirked, "He's the piano playah, may not look it, but 'e's really musically talented."

"Ey! I didn' know, youse guys don' do this everyday, an' I'm not usually stuck back 'ere."

"We know." Dreamer said with a smile, before motioning to the other girls to follow to the other side of the stage as well, were they would wait for their 5 minutes of fame.

"Break a leg." Slick whispered to the four retreating backs, each face turned for a nanosecond and gave her a smile before vanishing in the dark of the other side of the stage.

"So why don' ya want da Newsies ta see ya?"

Slick jumped a good foot before whirling, her gray eyes flashing to meet hazel ones, Damien. "Don' do that." she whispered harshly, unwelcome memories returning for the first time in a good week. 

His eyes were instantly apologetic, "Sorry, I didn' mean ta scare ya." 

"Ya didn' scare me, jus' surprised me." She said coolly. A hint of a smile appeared on his lips, which were only inches from her face.

"So.........why doncha wanna go out there?"

Slick shifted slightly, "'Cause I needed a li'l space from them."

Damien snorted softly, "That's the first girl I've eva heard say that."

"It's a long story." 

"Well, we've got all night." The look in his eyes made Slick blush a little before she turned from him.

"No. I can't." 

"Sure ya can, what else are ya gonna do 'til all hours a the night 'til those obnoxious boys leave?" Slick looked back at him, it was tempting to go with him, not to talk about the issue he was pressing, but more just to sit in his company. "Common, there's a cat walk with our name on it."

"Katz is gonna kill me for even talkin' ta ya."

A momentary dark look flashed in his eyes; "She'll get over it. Common, I'm not gonna seduce ya, no mattah how many stories that girl has told ya ta scare ya."

"What's in it for you?" 

"Gettin' away from the constant flirtin' between all them."

Slick grinned, "That works for me."

"Alright then."

Slick followed Damien up into the back part of the stage/theater area, and then up to a cat walk were they could observe but not be observed, they couldn't see into the bar area due to the curtains that covered the area, but all backstage was theirs to observe. 

"So, first off, tell me what's up with them callin' ya Slick, an' me havin' ta cover it?"

"Huh?"

"Earlier tanight, 'Vada called ya Slick." Damien abbreviated.

"Oh, that, yeah Slick is my 'Newsie Name' at least for New York."

"Oh. So you know all those boys then?"

"Yeah, I spent the 3 weeks before I came 'ere with them in Manhattan. Jack, Spot an' I go back."

"I see." 

Slick shivered, it was cooler up here out of the lights. Damien looked at her, he didn't want to be too forward, but he didn't want her to be cold, sliding closer to her he put his arm around her shoulders. Slick stiffened slightly under the touch, but it was warming, against her normal judgment, Slick slid closer to him and put her head on his shoulder.

"Katz is really gonna kill us for this." She whispered.

He grinned, "Oh well."

***************************

The final music from Belle's performance died out in bouts of applause, Raider had to admit she was good, as were the three others, they were definitely musically talented. (A/N: good job girls!!) He glanced around at his table-mates, both Manhatteners and Brooklynites. The Brooklynites were mainly shooting it up and talking amongst themselves, while the ones from Manhattan were a little busy with their flirting antics. He glanced over at Sly who was busy talking to the girl that had been introduced as Skatters, catching his eye, Raider motioned with a jerk of his head to him. Sly nodded, said something quietly to Skatters, who smiled even wider, and followed Raider.

"What?" 

"I jus' kinda wanted ta get outta there for a sec." Raider explained to his friend as the walked towards the stage door and right past Belle who was coming out with the other three huge smiles on each girl's face. He smiled at her, and she grinned before heading towards the table where her brother and friends sat.

"An' that means I gotta go with ya?" 

"Yeah it does, ya got a problem with that?" 

"Nah, I'm startin' ta feel bad flirtin' with Skatters I mean, LT is still back in Chicago." Sly confessed when the two had flopped down on the floor in the back under the cat walk which hung a good 25 feet above their heads. 

"Doncha think it's kinda ova for 'er? Or are ya actually thinkin' 'bout goin' back to Chicago?"

"I honestly don' know, I mean I really like LT, but Chicago is so far away, an' I really have no desire ta go back even if Slider an' Snake are headed back, which I dunno if I believe Spot."

Raider thought for a minute, "I do." Sly gave him a side look. "Spot may be an ass sometimes, but he wouldn' lie ta us 'bout Slider an' Snake, 'e cares for Slick jus' as much as we do. They musta gotten tired of scanin' the city for 'er, we obviously 'ad no idea where she was so they couldn' follow us, so they musta jus' headed back."

"Ya really think they wen' back ta Chicago?" 

"Slider wouldn' leave 'is post unguarded for that long, not while Blade was still in town, 'sides if Blade weren' lookin' ta take ovah Rapid woulda."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I ain't eva goin' back."

"How come?" 

"The Hawks were great, but only when it was all of us, Razz sucks a leadah, an' without Snipes, Lily an' Slick it wouldn' be the same."  
"I don' think I'd eva go back either, but I feel bad leavin' LT."  
"That girl can take care of herself."  
"Yeah. Hey, lets go back out there, I fer one don' really wanna be left with all of Brooklyn in Brooklyn, though I doubt you'd mind."  
Raider smirked, "Yeah, lets go." The two boys got up, and walked back out to the bar.  


**************************  
  
As soon as the footsteps faded, Damien turned to Slick questions racing through him. "What was all that? Chicago?" 

Slick breathed a sigh of relief, Slider and Snake were gone, the tenseness that had been stretching her muscles for the last few weeks faded, and she leaned into Damien, his arms enclosed her, and for once in the last 8 years, she felt safe. 

**********************


	5. A Startling Revelation

****

Chapter 5- A Startling Revelation

Katz sighed, the night had been exceptionally long, the boys hadn't left until the wee hours of the morning, she figured it was a good thing that it was a Saturday night when they'd arrived, because Sunday meant no pape selling. 

The night had been interesting at that, with her and Emotions and Avery manning the bar it made it hard for them to talk to their friends unless they happened up to the bar. Which could have been difficult since the Brooklyners took most of the seats, and they weren't the friendliest lot. Blink had taken it upon himself to keep a seat at the bar so he could talk and flirt with Emotions, but anyone Katz would have been remotely interested in, namely a Mr. Conlon, was too busy with other girls, namely a Miss. Miller (aka...Doll Face.). Not that Katz was jealous, she normally didn't get that way, she was happy for her friends, but Spot and the petite blonde-haired, baby-blue eyed girl, even though she happened to be a friend kind of struck the jealous chord. She knew that the three years the blonde-girl had spent with the newsies gave her that extra edge, but it still burned. 

Sighing again the brown-haired girl continued to wipe up counters, and looked around at her friends dispersed around the room doing their cleaning duties before the lot of the could head back for some sleep. A thought suddenly struck her-Slick, she had totally forgotten about her, another thought followed soon after-Damien, he was no where to be found either, anger started creeping into her, "'Vada! You seen Slick lately?"

The green eyed girl shook her head, "Not since before the show, an' then she was with Damien." Splash elbowed Nevada hard in the side as she mentioned Damien's name, Nevada got a worried look on her face as she saw Katz's murderous one. "That really don' mean anythin' Katz, Damien ain't gonna do nothin to her, not like he could against her will anyway."  
Everyone left in the room cringed as Katz stalked to the backstage door, opened it, disappeared behind it, slamming it in her wake. "Oops." Nevada whispered.  
  
  
***

"Chicago?" Damien tried again, it was late, but the voices of the newsies could still be heard.

Slick glanced at him, "Yeah Chicago."

"Which gang?" 

Slick's head snapped toward him, "What do you mean 'which gang'?" she asked quietly.

"Which of the ToC were you involved in? Ya got that look ta ya, an' there's no way you were in Chicago an' not involved. 'Sides yer friends down there were talkin' bout you, Chicago, an' the gangs in one conversation. So which one? The Hawks, Blades or Sliders?"

"Uhm........." Slick faltered, she was in shock, how did Damien know so much about the ToC? She looked at him closer, his eyes were closed, no emotion showed, it was a haunting look, one that was so familiar Slick was shocked she hadn't recognized it before. "Oh my." She breathed looking into those eyes that were so familiar but held none of the danger, pain, and anger the ones she remembered did. 

"You gonna tell me?" Damien looked back at her, he could sense her recognition of his features, which were identical to those of his twin brother's. "I'm guessin' The Hawks, but I don' know who Razz is, is there a new gang?"

"No, no new one. Razz is the leadah of The Hawks, he took ovah when Hawk was murdered." Slick breathed, her mind still moving in slow motion.

"An' Slider an' his good ol' buddy Snake were 'ere lookin' for ya?"

"Yeah. They want me dead........."

"How come?"

Slick shook her head, "Not now. I still can't believe I didn' see it before, you look identical to............."

"Reece? Or rather Blade? I know. He IS my twin." 

"He nevah told me he had a twin!"

"Why would he?" Damien asked looking curiously at the girl in his arms.

"He told me a lot, our gangs may have hated each othah, but we were good friends."

"He's a good friend to have." 

"So what are you doing here, in Brooklyn, an' not in Chicago?" 

"We were in Chicago, for a long time, our parents died a couple years ago, and Reece started getting into trouble, namely gang related stuff. Me, being almost physically attached to him, joined him for awhile, I was with when he, Hawk, an' Slider started the ToC, that was really only about 9 years ago, it was small time then, jus' li'l food stand raids. Roger was looking after both of us, he was the oldest one of us, he knew Reece was too far in to be torn away, so he took me an' we moved here about 5 years ago."

"Wow. Things have sure gotten a li'l more serious then jus' food stand raids." Slick said.

"I know. Parts of me are incredibly grateful Roger got me away, but the other parts miss the days of reeking havoc with Reece." Damien sighed. 

Slick shivered slightly at the breeze blowing onto them from behind, his arms tightened around her, she looked up at him. As much as he looked like Blade, Damien was sure different in personality, he didn't have as much edge as Blade had, but she found it just as easy to talk to them both. 

Damien looked at Slick in his arms staring out into the darkened backstage, a strand of hair fell from behind her ear, he reached to push it back just as she did, and their fingers brushed. He pulled his hand back, and leaned more on the back poles serving as railings on the catwalk. 

"WHERE THE 'ELL ARE YA?!" 

Slick and Damien each jumped a foot, causing the unstable cat walk to lurch. Out of instinct, Slick had grabbed her dagger she always had hidden in her boot, Damien gave her a side long look in response to the flash of metal that caught his eye. She grinned.

"Where are ya?! Damien! Don' make me rip ya ta shreds!!" 

"Relax Katz, we're up here."

Katz's glittering eyes turned up towards the catwalk where a flash of silver caught her attention. "Get down 'ere now! We're leavin' Slick."

"I'm comin'." Slick grumbled climbing down, with Damien at her heals, or rather directly above her on her descent. 

Katz grabbed Slick's hand the moment her feet had touched the ground, pulling her away from Damien. Slick lurched towards her, pulled her hand from the girl's grasp, and reached down to put the dagger away in the boot that was almost hidden by her skirt. If looks could be murderous, Damien would have already died a thousand deaths from the look he was getting from Katz's flashing dark green eyes. "Common Slick, we're leavin'." Katz muttered pulling Slick after her as she headed back towards the bar.

Slick threw a look over her shoulder at Damien, who was standing hopeless, his eyes flaring, but he flashed a tight smile at her as she looked back at him. 'What's her problem?' Slick wondered, finally standing her ground and yanking herself from Katz's grip once they were back in the bar area. 

"Common, it's time we get back to Queens, we don' need ta be back 'til Monday." Skatters said quietly to Slick as Katz continued on her escapade and stomped out the door. The other girls looked at Slick worriedly, who was standing clueless in response to Katz's anger. "Common." Skatters said again and led the way out the door with the rest following silently, even the normally hyper Splash was subdued. 

"What did I do?" Slick whispered to Fighter. Fighter shrugged. A dark look crept onto Slick's face as she followed the rest out of Brooklyn and into Queens in the early morning glow.

***********************


	6. Another Puzzle Piece

Chapter 6-Another Puzzle Piece

Slick stormed in the door of the bunkroom about a half-hour after they had gotten back. She had taking a detour to the roof, but it hadn't helped much. The girls, who had been scattered about, quickly moved out of Slick's way as she strode towards the bed Katz was perched on. It the weeks that the girls had come to know Slick, they'd learned to stay out of her way when she had the look in her eyes, much the same as Sly and Raider had. Katz looked up as Slick approached, her eyes were darker than normal as she gazed brazenly into Slick's stormy ones. 

"Yes?" Katz said coolly.

"I would like an explanation." Slick replied just as coolly as she gazed at her friend.

"An explanation for what?"

"For why you hate Damien so much, an' why you don' want me any where near him."

"First off I don' hate him in particular, an' second, I don' want to see you getting hurt by him."

"It's not that I don' appreciate yer concern, but I ain't new to this world Katz." Slick said, her eyes loosing some of their storminess as she sat on the bed next to her friend.

"I know ya ain't but ya don' know him, or his brother or anyone else he used ta hang with, they're all scum an' they.........I jus' hate 'em" 

Slick's eyes snapped to Katz at the mention of Damien's brother. "Brother?" She inquired innocently.

"Yeah, not Roger, he's got this othah brother, his twin, not totally identical, but a twin no less."

"An' you hate him?"

"I wish him an eternal sufferin' in the depths of Hell."

"How do you know Blade?" Slick asked slowly.

Now it was Katz's turn to turn to Slick in shock, "You know that bastard?!" 

"We've met." Slick said her mind reeling. This was just too weird first she learned that Blade had a twin and another brother, Damien and Roger, and than Damien and Roger had moved to New York a year after she had gotten to Chicago. Now it turned out Katz knew all three of them, which could only mean she was a native Chicagoan as well.

"How do you know Reece?"

Slick glanced at her, "I asked you first."

"It's nothing I'd care ta explain 'ere." Katz said pointedly, looking around at the rest of the bunkroom that had gone quiet during the girls' conversation. "So how do you know him?"

"We're talkin' bout Blade 'ere. As in the leader of THE Blades." Katz nodded, her lips were tight. 

"So yer from Chicago?"

"I spent the last six years of my life there."

"Then I suppose you can take care of yerself. I don' even want to know which gang you were in." Katz said.

"We won't go there." Slick agreed glancing around the room whose occupants were watching them with rapt attention.

"This ain't fair. You start talkin' 'bout somethin' that's interestin' then ya go an' shut up real fast." Emotions complained. 

"Yeah, no kiddin', ya start in on a conversation that could get Katz talkin 'bout the past she hides so well, then she shuts up an' you go along with it." Nevada agreed watching them from her position on the floor across from them.

"It's jus' too complicated of a subject right now." Slick said looking away from her friends.

Katz glanced at Slick, there was a story there she wanted to know, just as she figured Slick wanted to know hers, but now just wasn't the time. 

"Common you guys lets get ta bed, we don' gotta be up early but we should probably get up sometime, an' if we don' get ta bed, it won' happen." Fighter said from her corner of the room, looking over at Doll Face and Splash who were sprawled across the same bed, sound asleep.

Dreamer laughed looking at the pair, "Looks like Splash wore herself out for once." A tongue stuck itself out from Splash's mouth, which caused the rest of the room to crack up with laughter. 

"I'm awake." Splash said sleepily sitting up shooting a look at Dream. 

"Belle's not." Skatters's laughed, glancing at the bed underneath hers from the opposite side of the room. 

"I say we follow her example." Slick yawned, getting up and swinging herself into the bunk over Katz's. Katz nodded in agreement and laid down tiredly. The rest of the room followed suit, with Splash crawling to her own bed. 

"It's all right, I'll get the lights." Fighter said easily, flipping the switch before crawling into her own bed. Within minutes the only noises that could be heard was the light even breathing of all ten occupants.

*****************


	7. A Li'l Bit of Romance

Chapter 7-A Li'l Bit of Romance

By early afternoon, when the girls finally pulled themselves from their beds, the conversation from the night before had been forgotten by all but Katz and Slick. It was Sunday, which meant a slack day for them. A few of the girls, including Dream, Nevada, Splash, Skatters and Emotions elected to go into Brooklyn where they knew the Manhattan Newsies had spent the night, or rather, the morning.

"Please?" Doll Face asked, joining the cause.

"Why are you askin' me?" Katz asked back looking at her friends' eager faces, all except Slick who knew she wouldn't go anyway.

"Because yer like the leader." Belle said from her position lying across her bed.

"An' when were the elections?" Katz asked, amusement on her face.

"Well you know how it is, they wont let us li'l ones vote." Skatters joked back.

"I don' care what ya all do, jus' don' expect me to be coming with."

"We don't." Doll Face said resolutely. Katz glared at her darkly.

"Common you guys, lets go." Fighter said getting up.

"You're comin now too?" Splash asked.

"Yeah, ya got a problem with that?"

"Uhm…no." She answered in response to Fighter's flashing green eyes in her face.

"Do me a favor? Keep me out of all conversation?" Slick said looking seriously at her friends.

"Yeah ok." Was the answer she got from Nevada's retreating back as she followed the rest out the door and into the afternoon.

"Well, wasn't that interesting." Katz said sarcastically glaring at the now closed door.

"Hmm…somebody not liking being the leader?" Slick asked hanging off the edge of her bed to look Katz in the eye.

"Shut up, I don't need comments from you." She snapped back.

Slick shrugged, "You can get them for free."

"Slick…" Katz said her eyes getting darker, and her voice registering a warning tone.

"Alright. So what are we gonna do now?" Slick asked seriously.

"Who knows, I suppose we could go see if Roger needs any help cleaning up the place."  
"Oh that's just what I wanted to do on my day off, go back to work."

"You got something else in mind? Considering you don't want to go into Brooklyn or other parts of New York, cause you're hiding from some certain newsboys I happen to know." Katz said getting off her bed and standing up to look Slick in the eye, who in turn was getting a serious crick in her neck from hanging over the bed.

"We could finish our conversation from last night." Slick said to her.

"That's ok I'll pass on that one." Katz snapped, sitting back down on her bed.

"Ok we can go back to work then, but you do know that Damien is going to be there too."

"Not if he has enough sense not to be." Katz growled back.

"Nah I'd rather be here." A cool voice said from the doorway.

The eight girls made their way cautiously into Brooklyn, it may have been afternoon, but that didn't seem to stop Brooklyn's reputation. As they went farther into the borough, in the general direction of Manhattan and the river, Belle took charge, leading the group calmly through the hardened streets. As they reached the river, the group walked along it until they came to the Brooklyn Newsies's normal docks and hang out area. Just as they had all figured, the dock was littered with the tough looking Brooklyn Newsies as well as the Manhattan ones they were looking for, well all except Doll Face were looking for.

Grins split the majority of the Manhattan Newsies's faces when they saw the eight girls walking down towards them, the Brooklyners took a slight notice in the appearance of eight of the opposite sex, but didn't pay much attention other than that. Except Shiner, who scanned the crowd for any signs of Slick.

"Well what have we got 'ere?" Spot said from his spot on a mound of boxes, as he looked with interest at the octet.

"What's it look like?" Belle asked sending a look at her brother, who merely raised his eyebrow before getting down from his perch.

"Hey Sly." Skatters said sitting down next to the one mentioned who at that particular moment was locked in a death glare with Raider.

"Hey." Sly said absently, not taking his eyes from Raider as the two continued to glare at each other. "Wait…Skatters?" Sly suddenly pulled his eyes from Raider's as he turned in slight surprise to the girl standing next to him.

Raider took that opportunity to throw a punch at Sly, but he was stopped by Belle's palm, and her soft blue eyes looking into his fiery green ones. "Uh...hey Belle." He said looking at her a bit distractedly.

It wasn't much different with the rest of the girls, each went off to conquer some newsie.

"Yer losing." Nevada stated looking over Mush's shoulder at the cards he held in his hand.

"Yeah, no kiddin. Oh hey 'Vada, what's up?" Mush said drawing his attention to the beautiful brown-haired green-eyed girl in front of him, giving Race the opportunity to sneak in a little cheating maneuver.

"'Vada, yer causing him to lose! Keep it up!" Emotions grinned sitting next down next to Kid Blink, who grinned his patented grin at her in return.

Dreamer was the next one to sit down, whispering something inaudible to the rest of the into Skittery's ear, who grinned his thanks in return, while blushing to a darker hue.

Splash glanced around for her crush, and found him sitting next to his pal Dutchy, talking and letting his feet hang in the water. "Heyya Specs." She said shyly walking up to them and sitting down.

"Uh…heyya Splash." Specs's said quietly, his face getting a darker pink while Dutchy grinned at his friend.

"I think I'll leave you two alone." Dutchy said getting up to go play a card game with Race who was looking very left out of the whole girl invasion deal.

"Where's Jack?" Fighter suddenly asked, from her spot beside Doll Face, who in turn was sitting with Spot, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"I dunno, honestly." Spot said glancing around for a sign of his friend.

"Huh? Did I jus hear my name?" A sleepy voice asked from behind the stack of boxes Spot, Doll Face and Fighter were sitting on. Fighter grinned, hopped off the boxes and slipped around to where Jack's voice was coming from. Doll Face just laughed.

"So…" Spot said glancing over at Doll Face, "Any immediate plans for the day?"

She smirked, "Only ta stay an' relax here, I think that goes for the rest of my friends as well."

"Speaking of which, where's Katz? I don't see her." Spot said looking out over his boys as well as the Manhattaners, spread out over the dock. Doll Face's eyes darkened, Spot looked back at her and laughed, before leaning in to kiss her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Katz asked, her voice dangerously low as she walked over to stand face to chin with the figure standing in the doorway.

"Just in the neighborhood." The voice responded, a smirk dominating the face.

"You-chill, you-don't be a pain." Slick said, now standing between the two, pointing a finger at each. Katz glared, Slick just gave her a look. "Honestly, what are you doing here Damien?" She asked looking up at him.

He shrugged, "I was hoping I could get some answers about last night, why Katz drug you away so fast, and I…I also wanted to see ya."

"You know perfectly well why I don't want her anywhere near you." Katz spat at Damien, her dark eyes flashing even darker.

"You don't have to take it out on me, I didn' do anythin' to ya." Damien muttered.

"I'll kill Blade." Slick broke in, her eyes turning a stormy gray as realization dawned on her.

Katz turned her attention back to her new best friend, "It's not that I'm objecting, but you haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about."

Slick's eyes grew darker, as she stepped up, so she was face to face with Katz, "No, but nobody lays a hand on my friends, without suffering for it."

Damien reached out to pull her back from Katz, "It was a long time ago, and Katz needs to get over it."

Katz's dark eyes turned once again back to Damien, who released Slick and took a step back. "What happened?" Slick broke in before a fight broke out and Damien got his ass handed to him on a platter.

"Nothin' I care ta discuss." Katz snapped, turning on her heal and storming out the door.

"Great, just freakin great." Slick muttered, plopping down on the closest bed, which happened to belong to Skatters.

"Hey, you didn' do anythin', she's got an attitude." Damien said walking over to stand in front of her. Slick looked up at him, giving him a dark look, which caused him to look away, not being able to withstand her glare.

She dropped her glare and rested her head in her hands, "I should just learn to stay away from people, I always mess stuff up."

Damien looked back at her in shock, "What are you talking about? You have nine great friends in this bunkroom that love ya…plus me." He added quietly, he could see Slick's cocked eyebrow through the strands of hair that fell across her face, having escaped from her bandana.

Slick looked up at him, "You have no idea what you're getting' yerself into by saying that." She said quietly.

He sat down beside her, "I've lived in Chicago a great deal of my life, I'm pretty sure I can handle most anything."

Slick leaned into him, as he put his arm around her. The want and need she had for him suddenly overwhelmed her, as shivers went through her body. He leaned in and gently kissed her, as much as Slick wanted to pull away from the feeling, she felt as though she couldn't, and giving in for one of the first times in her life, she leaned into him, accepting the kiss.

Author's Note: Wow…I seriously forgot about this story…sorry to all of you who were expecting this to get up A LOT sooner…I'm not quite sure what happened…ok, so Senior year happened. But anyway, I'll try to restore the rest of this story, you have NO IDEA how much there still is to re-post. Oh…and just a FYI to those "critical" readers out there…I wrote this story like 2 years ago and I'm just re-posting it, I know there are about a million things I could change to make it better, but I just don't have the time right now, maybe someday in the future. But anyway, enjoy! And leave a review! I want to get back up to 200…where I was before deleted my story!! mutters curse words Love ya all!

P.S…To all of those reviewers out there who have seen this story through and through as well as the one that came before it…I LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH!


	8. Brooklyn Ties

Chapter 8-Brooklyn Ties

Katz strode purposefully down the street venturing farther into Queens, the last thing she wanted was to go into Brooklyn and have to face the rest of her friends. "Why can't the past ever leave me alone?!" She yelled out to no one in particular.

"Cause life has a shitty sense of humor." A voice said from just behind her.

Katz spun around to face the person behind her, "Who are ya and what the hell do ya want?" She growled, grabbing her knife from her boot and holding it at the ready.

"Hmmm………ya got spunk, I like that."

"Yeah well I'm not yours ta like." Katz spat back, glaring.

"Too bad. Name's Fox, what's yours?" Fox asked walking closer to her, his gray-blue eyes studying her with scrutiny.

"Katz." She said, looking him over as he did her.

"I'd believe it, ya seem to have cat like reflexes, an' a mind a yer own."

"Glad somebody noticed." Katz muttered.

"Wanna come back to the LH with me?" Fox asked. Katz merely raised one eyebrow, and glared, "hmmm, didn't think so, but a guy's gotta try." He smirked, "Where ya from?"

"Wherever I wanna be from, right now it just happens to be right inside Queens, on the boarder between here and good ol' Brooklyn."

Fox's eyes darkened, "Brooklyn huh?"

Katz smirked finally recognizing him as the leader of the newsies in Queens, "Yeah Brooklyn, you an' them ain't on good terms if I remember correctly." Fox just turned on his heel and started to storm away. "Hey, hey, hey, don't walk away from me." Katz said, grabbing his shoulder, he reluctantly turned back and looked at her. "I have no ties to any specific person in Brooklyn. If my friends decide to be their 'girls' then that's their deal, but I ain't nobody's 'girl'."

Fox looked her in the eye, "Alright. Ya want some lunch? My treat."

Katz smiled, "I suppose."

For the eight bar girls and their respective newsies, the day was full of laughter, water fights, poker games, gigantic amounts of flirting and just an over all good time. It was early evening when Jack finally tore himself away from Fighter and rounded up his Newsies, "Common, guys, we's gotta be getting' back, the papes ain't gonna sell themselves tamarra." Groans issued from all Manhatteners and the eight girls.

"But Jack………" Mush whined, holding a pouty-looking Nevada in his arms.

"Common guys, it's not like I wanna leave Fightah." He said, drawing Fighter to him.

"Alright, I'll be the voice a reason, yer all kicked out!" Spot said jumping down from his station, leaving a pouting Doll Face in his wake.

"Yeah, we gotta be getting back to Queens as it is." Belle said, coming up with Raider.

"But I don' wanna, it's more fun here." Dream put in, walking up behind Belle, Skittery following her. What she didn't see was the rope lying across the dock, "Ooff………meant ta do that." Dream covered, getting back to her feet with the help of Skitts, while the rest of the crew struggled not to laugh.

"I'm with ya Dream, but we gotta go ta work tamarra too." Fighter said, still within the safety of Jack's arms.

"Common, boys, let 'em go, we all gotta be getting back." Spot ordered. The boys and girls reluctantly said their good-byes.

"Wait! Who's gonna walk 'em back ta Queens?" Kid suddenly asked looking at Emotions.

"I will." A new voice volunteered.

Spot glanced over at his newsie that had just arrived, "Ya sure yer up ta it Shiner?"

"Yeah, I got it." Shiner answered.

"Alright, you girls go with Shiner. Boys, I'll see ya lata, I'm sure ya can get yerselves back ta Manhattan without too much trouble." Spot dictated.

"So why do ya wanna walk us home?" Splash asked Shiner once they were on their way.

"So he can see Slick, duh." Dreamer said looking at Splash as though she really should have known that.

"Who wants ta bet Damien's givin' her a nice time?" Fighter smirked. Snickers came from the rest of the group who didn't offer any contradictions to her statement.

"Who's this Damien dude an' how bad to I need ta work him over?" Shiner asked looking between the group of girls.

"Awwww does Shiner have a li'l crush on Slick?" Emotions asked, while the rest of the group looked at him expectantly.

"No." Shiner said, not looking at any of them.

"Then how come yer going with us?" Skatters asked logically.

"'Cause there is stuff she an' I need ta talk about." He snapped, "And I don' want ya'll in a million pieces if ya happen ta be jumped." Glares were suddenly sent his way in response to his last comment. "Geez, it's not that I don' think ya girls can' take care a yerselves, but Brooklyn an' Queens ain' on each othah's good side right now."

"Whadidja do?" Doll Face asked, speaking up for the first time.

"It's complicated, we jus' hate each othah an' that's bout it." Shiner explained.

Belle rolled her eyes, "Brooklyn an Queens have nevah had good ties. Spot hates Fox an Fox hates Spot."

"Fox?" Nevada inquired.

"Fox. He's the leadah of the guys in Queens."

"He sounds frightening." Dreamer said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Mmmmm………almost as intimidating as Spot." Fighter agreed with a smirk.

"HEY! Don't be dissin' my man!" Doll Face protested. Laughter sounded from all, even Shiner at that comment.

"Common, lets speed up the pace." Shiner said glancing around the darkened streets uneasily.

Slick sat up with a jolt, glancing out the window she estimated it to be about seven thirty, the girls would be home soon. She looked back down at the bare chested young man that lay beside her, "Shit." Slick whispered, remembering what had happened earlier that day. Damien stirred silently, "Hey you, wake up." Slick bent down and whispered in his ear.

"Huh?" Damien slowly opened his eyes to see familiar silver ones looking back at him. "Hey." He said groggily.

"It's not that I really want you to leave, it's more like the rest of the bunkroom will be getting back soon an' well, you an I ain't wearing much."

Realization slowly dawned in his eyes, "Oh."

"Yeah." She pulled on his arm helping him to a sitting position, reaching over he kissed her again. "Not right now Damien." Slick said pulling away. It was more than the worry of her friends walking in that kept her from kissing back. Damien reluctantly pulled away, and looked at her with questioning eyes. Slick adverted her own and got up, getting fully dressed in the process.

Damien followed Slick's example only more slowly, mussing over her sudden change in attitude. "You ok?" he asked quietly walking over to where she was leaning against the windowsill. She nodded slowly but didn't turn to look at him. Slowly Damien put his arm around her shoulders, silent sobs shook Slick's thin frame, and she leaned lightly against him.

A crash from downstairs startled both of them a minute later, "You better go." Slick said quietly.

"Only if you're sure you're gonna be ok."

"I'm sure, go, use the window and go to the roof." She instructed.

Damien glanced at her, heard the rapid footsteps coming up the stairs, gave Slick a quick hug and was gone just as the bunkroom door flew open.

"Slick, yer here. And alone." Splash pointed out after a second of silence.

"You sound disappointed." Slick said turning to face her friends, only to be shocked by the presence of Shiner standing with them.

****

Author's Note: OMG! Yes it IS true—2 chapters in ONE night! LoL, and after soo long of me avoiding this site…well here ya go….not the best ending, but like I said before…this story needs a SERIOUS makeover…but I don't have the time! So maybe someday… Love you all!

Brooklyn Raider


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Welcome ta Queens

"Woah! Youse gotta girl with ya Fox." A tall, dark eyed boy pointed out as Katz walked in the diner door just behind Fox.

"Glad ya noticed." Katz smarted back, not feeling the least bit intimidated by the large group of new boys.

The group looked a little taken aback at the sharp response. "Hey guys, this is Katz, Katz, these are my guys." Fox said laughing, "Common, I still owe you that lunch." He pulled lightly on her arm to direct her in the direction of the tables and booths.

"Ahhhh………so that's the reason Katz followed ya, ya promised ta feed her." The dark-eyed boy smarted again.

"Dakota man, yer jus diggin yerself inta a hole." Fox warned, giving his right hand man a dark look.

He only cracked a grin, "Name's Dakota, second in command 'round 'ere." Dakota said reaching out to shake Katz's hand.

"Katz, leader of the bar gang." Katz said with a grin, returning the handshake.

"Bar gang?" Fox asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well I don' know what else ta call us an' I was informed this mornin that I was the leader." Katz explained.

"Ahh………well congrats ta ya. So Fox, ya actually gonna buy this girl somethin' or ya jus' gonna think about it?" Dakota asked grinning.

"Ya know, I think ya need a good soakin' 'Kota." Fox said shaking his head at his friend.

"I volunteer." A new voice said from just behind Dakota.

"I'm sure ya do, but I could take ya any day Knots." Dakota answered, turning to the new arriver.

"Yer point bein' 'Kota?" Knots said leaning against the nearest wall.

"It wouldn' accomplish much."

"Common Katz, you don' need ta listen to their bickering go on all day." Fox said lightly pushing Katz into a nearby booth, and taking a seat on the opposite side of the table.

"Can I take yer orders?" A young waitress asked coming up to the two.

"I'll have a club an' a water please." Katz answered, not wasting time, she'd been too busy yesterday to sit down and eat much of anything.

Fox looked at her slightly surprised, "I'll have my usual Ally."

The girl smiled, "Comin' right up Fox."

"Eat here often?" Katz asked sarcastically.

"Only everyday. If ya count that ta be often then I guess so." Fox said back, grinning at her from across the table.

"Hey Fox!" Dakota yelled suddenly from across the room, "Informer says we've had somea Conlon's boys 'cross the boarder lately." The blonde boy standing next to Dakota nodded to confirm his story.

"Then I guess I'll have somethin' ta deal with latah huh?" Fox answered, all his boys cracking smirks at the same time.

"So what IS the story between you an' Conlon an' 'is boys?" Katz broke in asking. Fox just glanced at her without answering, "I'm not gonna go runnin' ta Spot an let him know all yer secrets." She said giving him a searching look.

"It's hard ta explain." Fox replied after a moment.

"Try me." Katz gave the blue/gray-eyed boy a challenging look.

"Geez, you ain' gonna give up are ya?"

"Nope." Katz smirked.

"Most of it is a long personal story you don' need to hear." Fox said.

"So what's the other part then? The part I can hear?"

Fox looked at her, "Simple enough, my boys an' his boys don' get along and he an' I don'. It's kinda a whole lack of trust issue, for the most part anyway."

"I can see that, Spot ain't so much of a trustin' guy." Katz agreed, "So what the personal side?" She inquired.

"I'd lay off that question if I were you." Dakota said coming up and sliding into the booth beside Fox and glancing at his friend. Katz was about to ask another question but stopped as Ally arrived placing a tray in from of each person at the table. "Thanks Al." Dakota smiled at the girl who blushed in return, before turning back to help the rest of the gang.

"Hmmmm………I wonder who the ladies man of this group is?" Katz smirked at Dakota.

Fox just rolled his eyes, "Yeah 'Kota's our ladies man. I haven't the slightest clue why though."

"HEY!" Dakota protested.

The conversation really had no chance to go further because the diner door opened and Informer came back in with two twin boys about his own age of twelve, following. The diner when silent as Informer led the two boys over to where his leader was sitting. Katz recognized the two as Brooklynites, and it was obvious that everyone else did too.

"Lefty, Righty." Fox acknowledged standing to look at the two boys once Dakota had moved to let him out.

"Fox, Dakota." The twins replied together, looking slightly intimidated by the two boys and the rest of the gang listening attentively.

"What can I do for you boys?" Fox asked glaring at the two Brooklyn invaders.

"We've got a message from Spot for youse." Lefty spoke up, standing up to his full 5 foot 3 inch height, where he was still a good 9 inches shorter than Fox and Dakota. Fox merely raised an eyebrow, inviting the boy to continue. "He wants to meet ya at Salvatores tamarra night."

Dakota gave a dark, mistrusting look to both boys, "Salvatores is on Brooklyn property." He muttered.

"Yeah it is." Righty stated looking at Dakota, before turning his attention back to Fox, "You can only bring one guy with ya, the rest hafta stay inside Queens."

"An' how many of yer guys are gonna be waiting ta ambush 'em?" Knots asked joining the conversation.

"We ain't gonna ambush you if ya don' us, but ya gots ta stick wid the terms." Lefty said looking around at each guy in the diner.

"Conlon only gonna have one othah guy with him?" Fox asked ignoring both Knots and Dakota's comments.

The twins glanced at each other, "Yeah." Righty said.

"Fine. Dakota an' I will be there at seven thirty." Fox said.

Lefty and Righty looked at each other again, nodded, and turned to leave, knowing the shouldn't test the Queens boys by sitting down in the diner, they happened to like being alive.

"Conlon's got some guts sending his boys here." Dakota pointed out watching the two Brooklynites head out the door and down the street.

"Yeah he does." Fox agreed looking lost in thought. Dakota glanced worriedly at his leader.

"Common Fox, have a seat, your food awaits." Katz broke in. Fox's head snapped towards her in surprise, he had forgotten about her.

"Yeah, sit." Dakota said pushing Fox back into his seat. "Don' worry 'bout it right now." Fox nodded, and stared to eat, but each time he would glance up Katz could see the angry fire burning in his eyes.

'Boy isn't work gonna be interesting tomorrow.' Katz thought trying to imagine the rest of the girls' response to Spot and Fox and their little meeting. Not to mention the face that both Fox and Spot would know here, that would definitely add tension. While thinking back to the girls, Katz vaguely wondered how bad she would have to kill Damien for whatever he and Slick had done this afternoon.

"Ya want me ta walk ya back to yer LH?" Fox asked breaking into her thoughts.

"Nah, my friend an' I had a fight, an' I really don' feel like going back there right now. We could go back to yours an' hang out though, if ya don' mind my presence." Katz answered glancing up.

Fox looked only slightly surprised, but Dakota looked shocked at her comment. Fox shrugged, "We're prolly only gonna be either reekin' havoc or playin' cards."

"Fine by me." Katz said, moving to get up. Dakota and Fox followed her lead along with the rest of the Queens gang.


	10. Confusion

Chapter 10—Confusion

"What are you doin' here?" Slick asked looking at Shiner.

"I wanted ta talk ta ya." Shiner said looking the tall girl over.

"Roof's always open." Slick pointed out figuring he wanted to keep it a private conversation. Shiner nodded, while most of the girls smirked, but were shut up by Slick's icy glare.

"Uhmm………Slick?" Slick looked at Belle expectantly, "Where's Katz?" She asked.

Slick's eyes flashed back to their normal color momentarily before darkening again, "She left." She said before turning and climbing out the window, Shiner following at her heels.

"Wonder what happened." Skatters muttered.

"Between those two? I don' wanna know." Dreamer said glancing at Katz's empty bed.

"Me neither." Splash said sitting down on her own bunk.

Once on the roof Shiner started glancing around nervously, as if watching for something. "You ok?" Slick asked noticing his eyes wandering.

"I'm in Queens." He said, like the statement explained everything.

"Yeah, so?"

Shiner looked at her as though she had gone completely nuts. "I'm from Brooklyn an' I'm in Queens, Fox finds out, like I know he will, an' it's not gonna be a good thing."

"Fox?" Slick's eyes suddenly flamed with icy anger, but Shiner didn't notice, and took her comment to be a general one.

"Yeah Fox, the leadah 'ere in Queens, 'e an' Spot don' get along so well, fact is they hate each other. So we an' his boys don' get along so well either. It's a war waiting ta happen, an all one side needs is a spark, an' I REALLY don' wanna be that spark." Shiner glanced back at Slick, whose eyes were still flaming an icy dark gray, he backed away from her, a worried look on his face. "You ok?"

"Fine." She snapped, and Shiner knew from experience not to push her. "What didja wanna talk about?" She asked changing the subject.

"Oh yeah. I wanted ta know when yer actually gonna let everyone else know yer around. So yer friends can quit coverin for ya." Shiner said turning to lean against the wall of the adjacent building.

"When I feel like it." Slick said turning away from in an effort to calm down.

"Yer not bein' fair ta them, they are yer friends."

"Yeah, but they're better without me."

"You sure 'bout that?" Shiner asked. But dropped the subject when Slick turned to glare at him. "Soo…………wanna tell me why you just totally spazzed out a minute ago?" Silence followed his question, "Hmm…………guess not."

"Yeah guess not." Slick snapped irritably, "Shouldn't you be getting back to Brooklyn?"

Shiner glanced up at the ever darkening sky, "Yeah probably."

"I'll see you later Shiner." Slick said without turning around.

"Slick?"

"Yeah?" She replied turning half way around.

"Take care a yerself." Shiner said before climbing down the escape ladder to the street below.

"You too." Slick whispered at his retreating figure. She and Shiner may have not hit if off so well her first day or two in New York, but since then the two had been pretty good friends. He might look like a big and tough Brooklyn member, but Shiner was also a good, reliable, understanding friend, the kind everyone needs. With a sigh, Slick turned to go back inside. As she crawled back through the window, the girls' chatter stopped momentarily before starting up again as she vaulted up to her bunk.

Emotions dropped out of her conversation she had been having with Dream and Splash, as she looked at Slick sitting alone. "Are you ok Slick?" She asked walking over to her.

Slick looked over at Emotions standing next to her bed looking concerned. She gave a weak smile, "I will be, thanks." Emotions nodded and walked back over to Dream and Splash. 'Maybe Shiner's right, maybe I DO need to talk to everyone else.' Slick thought to herself. Though she would never admit it, she missed Sly, Raider, Blink, Jack and everyone else, including Spot. The thought of Spot reminded her that Shiner had mentioned Spot's enemy. The name Fox wasn't the least bit foreign to her, and she had no trouble believing Fox and Spot were still enemies. 'But what are you still doing in New York Fox?' Slick asked silently, unfortunately no answer came. "Hey Belle." She said out loud suddenly, addressing the girl.

"Yeah?" Belle replied, turning to look at Slick.

"Uhmmm……………" Belle looked at her expectantly, Slick wasn't sure how to say what she wanted to say without raising the suspicion of the other girls. "Is Fox really still in New York?" She asked finally, deciding there was no easy way to say it.

"Yeah………" Belle looked at her confused for a second before realization suddenly hit her, and her eyes widened, as Slick's darkened slightly.

"Fox? This the same Fox that Spot don' like?" Doll Face asked.

No one answered her, as Belle continued watching Slick with an odd look on her face.

"Oh" was all Slick said before turning to face the wall and lying down.

"Slick?" Belle said continuing to look at her old friend, but no answer came. Giving up, she moved to climb into her own bed as the rest of the girls did the same.

Katz had spent most of the night wiping most of the boys out of their money and other miscellaneous objects with her little known talent at poker.

"Geez!" Spite yelled throwing down his cards in response to Katz's once again winning hand. She just smiled innocently and picked up her winnings.

"Chill out Spite, it was jus' a game." Dakota grinned at his friend.

"Yeah chill out Spite, no need for spite, it was only a game." Katz smarted.

"Yeah, a game she's won the last five hands!" Spite cried.

"You causin' trouble with my boys Katz?" Fox asked with a smile coming in the bunkroom door with Informer following at his heels.

"Yeah she is." Knots replied giving Katz a halfway dirty look, which she just returned.

Fox shook his head with a smile, "Good, keep it up."

"HEY!" Shouts of protest came from all corners of the room.

"Sorry boys, but someone needs ta whip ya inta shape." Fox answered doing his best to hide a grin.

"Funny." Dakota said getting off the floor to stand in front of Fox.

"I thought so." Katz put in.

"Yeah well you would." Spite said rolling his eyes, but he quieted down as Katz gave him a rather dark look.

"I don' know if my boys like ya Katz." Fox said looking around at the crowded room of boys, Katz pretended to pout.

"Sure we do, she jus' needs ta lay off winnin' all the time." Knots disagreed

"Is that all you people care about?!" Katz cried

Smirks issued from all corners as the entire group looked at her. "Of, course, you expected somethin else?" A boy Katz had learned to be named Twist piped up, his voice laced with a strong hint of sarcasm.

"No, not really, ya all are guys, an' so I shoulda figured, but I'm always hopin' ta be proved wrong in my figurin'." Katz said right back.

"You planin' on stayin' here for the night Katz?" Fox asked, changing the subject. Interested eyes immediately perked up at his question, a girl had never spent the night in their bunkroom before.

"Sure, I guess, I ain't in the mood to go back an' face Slick any time soon." Katz replied, not noticing the surprised look Dakota and Fox exchanged at the mention of Slick's name. "As long as I do get my own bed of course." She clarified at the looks she saw going around between the other boys.

"Uh, yeah, of course." Fox said his eyes flickered from Katz to the couple of empty bunks around the room, back to Dakota, who still had an odd look on his face as well.

"You ok?" Katz asked, seeing the silent conversation going on between the leader and his second.

"Yeah………uhm, you mentioned a Slick?" Fox turned to look back at Katz.

"Yeah, she jus' showed up 'bout a month ago, she's my best friend, when we're not fighting about somethin, an' taday we kinda had an argument, an' I walked out, an' I'm not in the mood to go back quite yet." Katz replied, "Why?"

Dakota and Fox both shook their heads, "No reason." Dakota said. Katz turned and looked at him an eyebrow crooked at the fact he answered and not Fox.

"Don't worry about it." Fox practically ordered. Taking another glance around the room he asked, "Which bunk do ya want?"

"I'll take this one." Katz answered, brushing off the previous conversation and walking over to an empty bottom bunk, and sitting down on it.

"Great, I get her below me." Spite muttered. Katz rolled her eyes, and Spite responded with a smart-ass grin.

"I'd take it easy Spite, she'd probably moider ya in yer sleep." Twist said evily, while the rest of the room cracked up.

"Hey! If I wanted ta I could ya know." Katz defended

"Yeah we know." Dakota grinned and swung into his top bunk, the rest were soon to follow suit, and Katz was left in a bunkroom full of sleeping boys, aside from the snoring coming from a few, she wasn't complaining about the arrangement.

Fox, though wasn't one of the sleeping, Katz's mentioning of Slick wasn't being forgotten, this was one more shocking blow he didn't need. 'Why are ya back Slick?' He asked silently, he knew full well, it wouldn't be a warm welcome when she learned he was still in New York.


	11. Confrontations

Chapter 11-- Confrontations

"Slick?" Slick woke with a slight jolt and turned to look at Emotions who stood next to her bed.

"Yeah?" Slick replied.

"Ya comin' ta work?"

"Crap" she muttered remembering it was Monday again, Emotions grinned and went back to finish getting ready as Slick climbed slowly out of bed. At first glance to the bunk below her own, Slick knew that Katz hadn't come back, and a twinge of worry entered her.

"You ok?" Belle asked coming up to the silver-eyed girl, knowing she was referring to last night, Slick gave her a dark look. The blonde girl nodded and tuned away.

Slick glanced again at her friend's untouched bed, and turned to the rest of the girls who looked about ready to go, "Go without me, I'm gonna wait fer Katz." She said knowing that her friend wouldn't miss a day of work, but would stop by the LH before going in.

"You sure?" Fighter asked. Slick nodded and the rest nodded in response as they left one by one for a new Monday in New York.

Katz woke with a start, it took her a moment to put everything in place and remember why she was sleeping in a bunkroom full of the male gender. Around the room other occupants were staring to get up and it was evident they were a tad bit surprised to see her, until they too remembered the day before.

"Well look at that, she's still 'ere." Spite pointed out hanging over the edge of his bunk to look her in the eye. Just like Slick does. She caught herself thinking, before swearing as she remembered it was Monday.

"Thanks fer pointin' out the obvious." Fox said getting tiredly out of his bunk.

"Anytime." Spite quipped, "So Katz, how didja sleep?" He asked addressing the dark-eyed girl.

"Awwww, leave 'er alone Spite." Dakota said climbing down from the bunk above Fox's.

"But what fun would that be?" Spite whined, before pulling himself up quickly to avoid Katz's fist.

Dakota and Fox both laughed as they followed the rest of the gang into the washroom. Spite leaped off the top bunk to the floor and followed the other two before Katz had it in mind to catch him.

Katz waited for the boys to finish in the washroom before she took her turn. When she came out a good 15 minutes later, Fox was the only one left in the room, she merely quirked an eyebrow at him and he answered her unspoken question, "Went to earn a livin', but I though I'd walk ya back ta where ever the hell yer sayin'."

"How thoughtful." Katz responded, her voice containing a sarcastic edge.

"My aren't we crabby in da mornin'" Katz just answered with a glare in his direction as she headed out the bunkroom door, Fox smirking behind her.

"So………" Katz started once they were on their way, "why didja an' 'Kota clam up when I mentioned Slick?" She asked for conversation's sake.

She saw the muscles tighten in his shoulder as she once again mentioned her best friend. "Not ta sound harsh, but it ain't really any o' yer business." Fox responded, a slight edge to his voice.

"No, it ain't but I was jus' wonderin, I can jus' ask 'er lata."

Fox slowly relaxed as he and Katz kept walking doing his best not to think of the tall sliver-eyed girl.

The rest of the way back to the Queens Girls' LH was an easy going one, the atmosphere between Katz and Fox was lighter, as long as Katz didn't bring up Slick. 'Now what trouble has she gotten herself in?' Katz wondered silently. It was just too small of a world, first Slick knew Blade an' the rest of the ToC, as well as all the members in both the Brooklyn and Manhattan gangs, but she had a history with Fox and Dakota as well.

"This it?" Fox's voice startled Katz out of her thoughts, and she glanced up surprised to see that they were back at her LH already.

"Yeah. Let's use the fire escape though, I doubt you'd be allowed in through the front door." Fox nodded and followed Katz around the side of the building to where the fire escape ladder for the Bar Girls' room touched the ground.

At the base of the ladder leading up to the small balcony before the window two stories up, Fox hesitated, "uhm………Slick will be at work right?" He asked giving Katz a sideways glance.

"She should be, it's Monday and we have work. Besides everyone else will be there, and I figure she'll go see Damien this morning if doesn't even work the early shift." Katz answered, keeping the ugly thoughts about Damien to herself.

"Right." Fox said, watching as Katz started to ascend the ladder, "Wait………Damien?"

"Don't ask." Was the growl that came back to his ears. Fox shrugged and followed the brown-haired girl up the ladder.

Slick was sitting on the bunk across from the open window, just staring out into space. She knew that if Katz were to come back that that would be the way she would enter. About an hour had passed when a curly brown-haired and dark green eyed girl crawled through the window, and found herself face to face with a tall, dirty blonde, silver eyed girl.

Katz jumped seeing Slick right in front of her, "Uh………hey." She said meekly. But Slick's eyes weren't on her at that moment, they were focused behind her.

Slick's eyes met the ones from outside the window briefly, before they disappeared. But she wasn't going to let him get away, so moving quickly past Katz, she grabbed the arm that belonged to the body of the person outside and giving a sharp yank, pulled him back, half-way through the window.

Fox stared at the girl in front of Katz for a moment before he turned and quickly started to move away. But a hand on his arm and a sharp pull brought him back to the window, and part way through it. Yanking his arm out of her grasp, he climbed all the way through the window and into the bunkroom.

"Brian………" the girl's voice met him coolly.

"Sierra." He replied his own voice just as cool and his eyes even cooler as they darkened to an icy blue. The girl's own eyes were a dark stormy gray, just as he remembered the being when she got angry.

"Alright you two, what happened?" Katz broke in, moving to stand between them. "Slick?" Slick's gaze shifted to Katz and the stiffness in the air calmed a bit.

"Yeah?" She responded looking at her best friend. Katz didn't say anything but continued to look at her. "You ok?" Slick asked Katz.

Katz nodded, but Fox broke in angrily, "Why wouldn't she be?! Ya think I'd do somethin' ta hurt her _Sierra_?

"I didn't say that _Brian_"

"No, but it's what you meant."

"How would you know?" Slick snapped looking angrily at Fox.

"Because, yer always blaming me!" Fox exclaimed.

"In case, your were wondering, I happened to be referring to the fact that she happened to be out in New York all night!"

"She was fine, she was with me, Dakota an' the rest of my boys."

"Dakota?" Slick's voice lost some of its edge as she looked at Fox, surprised.

"Yeah, Dakota." Fox confirmed, not meeting her eyes, "But still, she was fine, you don't trust me, you just always run away from your problems."

Slick's eyes got ten times darker, "If you knew ANY of my problems, you wouldn't have said that." She said, her voice tight barely restraining her urge to lash out at him physically.

"What's different now? Something goes wrong, you get angry an' you leave! Nothing's changed!" Fox yelled taking a step closer to her.

"Have you forgotten that the 'something going wrong' usually includes someone I know dying?!" Slick yelled back at him. Silence followed, and Slick turned on her heel and proceeded to leave.

"Slick?" Slick paused mid-stride and waited for Katz to go on, "Spot's gonna be meetin' with Fox at Salvatores tanight." Katz informed her.

Slick turned halfway around and gave her friend a tight lipped smile, "Thanks Katz." She said before turning and continuing to leave, not bothering to close the door behind her as she passed though it.

"I would really like to know what that was all about." Katz said coolly, looking at Fox.

"Tough." Fox answered darkly, not looking back at her.

"What the hell is the history with you two?!" She yelled at him.

"It's really none of your business." Fox snapped back, his eyes turning a stormy color that almost mirrored Slicks', but bluer.

"Slick is my best friend, so I'm making it my business." Katz countered still glaring at him.

"You've only known her for a month or two an' you claim she's yer best friend?" Fox asked skeptically.

"Yeah. Gotta problem with that?" Katz responded, taking a step closer to Fox.

"Yeah. Yer gonna end up dead." He stated, before turning and descending out the window and down the escape ladder.

Slick stormed out of the LH and onto the streets of Queens. "Stupid Fox, stupid Brian." She muttered to herself once she was a couple blocks away from the LH.

"Yeah, he can be quite stupid sometimes." A voice behind her agreed.

She whipped around only to confront a familiar face. She looked at him in surprise, his face betrayed slight surprise of his own to see her as well, like he'd been looking for her but it was still a bit of a shock to see her in the flesh again. "Dakota?" She asked just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

"Hey ya Slick." Dakota answered still looking over the tall girl.

"Do ya mind?" Dakota's eyes snapped up to her own, "It's a li'l rude." She pointed out, referring to his staring.

"Sorry." He said smiling, "It's jus' a bit of a shock ta see ya again."

"No kiddin'." Slick agreed. "If I woulda known you were here, I probably woulda come ta see ya."

"No you wouldn' have." Dakota said looking at her seriously, "You wouldn't have because Fox is still my best friend."

"Ta hell with Brian!" Slick cried angrily, "He messes my life up! Ta hell wid him!" Anger, hurt and pain from past memories shook her, Dakota tried to comfort her by putting his arm around her shoulders.

"But still………" Dakota tried.

"Don' even say it." Slick said, trying to put herself back together.

"But still………he IS your brother."

"I told you not to say it."


	12. Family?

Chapter 12—Family??

Fox stopped short a few blocks away from the girls' LH, standing about a block ahead of him was his right-hand man, Dakota who had his arm around………Slick. He saw her clearly now as he watched her pull a bit away from Dakota. Fox watched the two standing in the middle of a deserted sidewalk having a conversation. The chemistry between the two was opposite spectra the chemistry between himself and Slick. Slick had always been good friends with Dakota while Fox and her could rarely be in the same room without brining up the past and arguing about something. As if Slick and Dakota could hear Fox's thoughts both turned towards him, Fox saw Dakota say something to Slick who responded by walking away in a new direction.

"He is. Or have you forgotten?" Dakota asked looking Slick in the eye.

"Jus' because he's family don' mean anythin'." She responded.

"It should."

"Why? We have never gotten along."

"That's because you both won' take the time to forget the past and forgive each othah. I happen ta know, dat once upon a time youse two were inseparable friends. Then ya let history get between youse an' ya erase it all." Dakota said seriously, "He's yer brudder Sierra."

"I know he's my brother, Chris." Slick said turning around in the direction of the LH, only to see Fox standing about a block away.

"Talk ta him." Dakota advised, turning and seeing his best friend, "Jus' civilized talk."

But the idea of it was easier than the action, so without another word, Slick turned again and headed off in a different direction.

Dakota shook his head and sighed, and walked towards where Fox waited, "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." Fox returned watching Slick's retreating back.

"Youse two have really gots ta get ovah dis." Dakota muttered.

"It ain't as easy as it sounds Chris."

"Sure it is Brian. But don' worry 'bout 'er right now, I'd be more worried 'bout tanight if I was you."

"I wonder why Spot nevah told me she was back?"

"What makes you think he knows?" Dakota asked.

Fox gave him a look, "She woulda gone straight ta Brooklyn the moment she came back ta New York." He said glancing in the direction of the borough.

"Yeah, I guess, she hasn't been here ta know Cowboy's in Manhattan, youse an' I are in Queens, an' good ol' Conlon nevah left Brooklyn." Dakota stated.

"Cowboy………" Fox's thoughts picked up.

"Don' even think if Fox. Yer not goin' inta Manhattan. Conlon an' Kelly are still friends an' most certainly allies, you'd get killed!" Dakota yelled at his friend.

"I woulda thought Jack woulda had it in him ta at least inform me my sistah was back." Fox growled.

"He probably didn' think of it. But please remembah tanight?" Ya gotta be there or it's gonna be war wid Brooklyn"

"An' Manhattan." Fox added.

"An' Manhattan." Dakota agreed.

"Oh common, we should probably go make sure the rest of our boys ain' in jail yet." Fox said moving down the street back towards the heart of Queens with Dakota following at his side.

Katz growled in frustration, she found it rather rude how Fox had just up and disappeared. "Crap" She muttered seeing the time being proclaimed by the clock on the wall, 12:00, noon. Her shift at the bar started in a half-hour. Grabbing her jacket from her own bed she ran out the door, knowing Slick would be just fine.

"Bout time you showed up! Where ya been girl?" Doll Face greeted Katz as she came running in.

Katz smiled at her friends that came up to her, "Around." She replied vaguely.

"That ain' good enough." Fighter countered giving Katz a searching look.

"Hey Katz………"Katz turned to look at Belle, grateful for the diversion, "Where's Slick?" Belle asked.

"Uh………" She faltered 'shit' she thought, "Uhm, went for a walk." Belle looked at her skeptically, but didn't offer any argument. Katz sighed and walked over to the bar and took a seat on a stool.

"Ahh………so glad ta see yer smilin' face. I've missed ya so."

"Shut up Damien." Katz muttered to the smirking bar tender.

Damien bit back a smart-ass reply figuring it best to get on Katz's good side, "You ok?" He asked studying her.

"No." She snapped back irritably, making it clear that she didn't want to talk to him.

"Alright, fine." He replied taking the hint and going to help a new customer.

"You don' hafta bite his head off."

Katz turned to the speaker and saw her best friend standing there looking at her. "Welcome back." Slick didn't say anything but instead took a seat next to her. "You not gonna say anythin'?"

"What do ya want me ta say?" Slick asked casually.

"Well since you asked, you can start off by explainin' what the hell is up with you an' Fox an' yer loathin' for each other."

"No thanks, I'll pass on that one. Can I get a water Damien?" Slick asked the mentioned who had just walked over, he nodded and turned to fulfill her request.

"Why not?" Katz asked, getting back on subject.

"'Cause I don' fell like goin' inta it." Slick snapped meeting Katz's eyes, her own blazing.

Katz watched Slick's eyes grow to a stormy gray, and for a brief second she remembered Fox's eyes doing the same thing when she had brought up the subject of the two of them. "Ya know………Fox's eyes do that quick darkenin' an' stormy thing when I bring you up or somethin else he don' wanna talk about." She pointed out to Slick.

"Nice ta know we at least inherited one thing in common from our 'rents." Slick said, sarcasm enriching her voice as she got up to go to the back room to change for work.

Katz watched her go, an odd look on her face as the meaning of Slick's words set in, "No way………" She whispered, and quickly got up to follow Slick. "No fuckin' way!!" She yelled at Slick once she was in the dressing room, ignoring the other girls who were also there. "No fuckin' way! He's yer brother!?!?" Slick just looked back at Katz calmly.

"Who's yer brother?" Nevada asked Slick.

"Nobody." Slick answered, still looking at Katz. The only other person in the room who knew what they were talking about was Belle who stood outside the group, looking between the two best friends.

"Is he?" Katz asked lowering the volume of her voice as she stared back at Slick.

"Yes, he is."

"WHO?!?" Doll Face questioned.

"Nobody." Slick replied quietly turning away and walking over to one of the full length mirrors that stood against the far wall. Katz walked up behind her and looked at the tall girl's reflection.

"What happened between you two?" Katz asked Slick quietly.

Slick looked at the mirrored reflection of her friend and sighed, "A lot."

"Like………?" She pressed.

"Not right now, I'll tell you someday. But not right now." Katz nodded and turned back to her own business. Slick continued to study herself in the mirror. Her unique, momentarily expressionless eyes stared back at her, in their normal silver hue. The black bandana as usual was tied around her head keeping the dark blonde hair out of her face. Her clothing these days wasn't as near as boyish was it was before. She wore a black tanktop that showed off her eye color accompanied by a pair of gray pants and an unbuttoned long-sleeve back shirt, that at the moment was tied around her waist. Slick noticed her body wasn't as boyish look as when she'd first come back to NY as well, she'd grown into herself. She didn't see Emotions until the girl's reflection was beside her own, "Heyya Emotions."

"Hey Slick. You ok?"

Slick smiled at her friend, "I will be, thanks."

Emotions grinned, "Common then, youse got ta get ta work lazy bones!" Slick looked at her, feigning hurt, before she cracked a grin and followed her and the rest of the girls out into the bar, it was near 3 o'clock in the afternoon now, only hours before the leaders from Queens and Brooklyn would enter.


	13. Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens & Slick

Chapter 13—Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens & Slick!

4 HOURS LATER

"I am sooo bored!!" Dreamer complained.

"No kiddin'." Splash agreed. The day had been slower than normal and the ten girls were lounging lazily around one of the bar's larger tables.

"You know what we need?" Fighter asked, a sly smile crossing her face.

"Sly………" Skatters said with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Slick was jolted out of her thoughts, "Sly?"

A blush rose in Skatters' cheeks, "Yeah Sly, he's one of Jack's boys. New to NY, I don' remember where he's from though."

"Chicago." Slick said without considering the consequences of her statement.

"So's Raider." Belle put in, "But wait, how did you know that?"

Slick silently cursed at herself, "Uhm, 'cause 'e sounds like it, he don' got a NY accent." She covered purposely using bad grammar and a NY accent herself. The looks she got back in response were disbelieving of her statement.

"Slick? Care ta come help?" Damien suddenly yelled from behind the bar.

"Yeah comin'!" She called back, getting up and quickly moving to the bar area amidst her friends' watching eyes, "Thanks, I owe ya." She whispered to Damien once she was behind the counter.

"Yup ya do." Was all the response Slick got before Damien walked back to the kitchen, leaving Slick to deal with the few customers.

Not ten minutes went by when the front door opened to reveal Spot Conlon and Jack Kelly walking in. Doll Face and Fighter lit up immediately and went to greet their boyfriends.

"What are you don' here?" Doll Face asked beaming at the Brooklyn leader.

"Jacky-Boy an' I gots some business ta take care of." Spot responded.

"Here?" Fighter questioned.

"Yeah, sos when Queens gets here you goils gotta leave us alone." Jack replied, kissing Fighter lightly.

"Fox ain' gonna be happy with this." Katz muttered walking behind the bar to where Slick was.

"What do ya mean?" What's this about?" Slick asked, she was taking care to stay out of sight of the two leaders who were facing the door, their backs to her.

"Spot sent these two lackeys of his, Lefty an' Righty, I think it was." Slick nodded to confirm the names of the two. "Well anyway, Lefty an' Righty had a message for Fox from Spot. Guess those two don' get along either. Anyway Spot wanted ta meet Fox 'ere tanight ta talk stuff over I guess. The deal was Spot an' Fox could only have one other person with 'em. But Spot brought Jack, who's another leader, so personally I don' think Fox is gonna be happy with that, two leaders against one."

"Yeah but, those three know each other quite well, an' besides Brian has Chris."

"Chris?" Katz questioned.

"Dakota."

"Oh."

"Anyway, Brian an' Dakota will be ok. As long as Spot an' Brian don' loose their tempers, cause then I might be forced ta separate them." Slick said.

"So yer planin' on showin' yerself ta Spot an' Jack then?" Katz asked.

"Fox is gonna ask why neither one told him I was back in the first place. An' keep in mind I spent how long with those two before comin' here." Slick pointed out.

"True"

"What time is it?" Slick asked fixing the man in front of her another drink.

Katz glanced at the clock behind her, "7:20. Fox an' Dakota said they'd be here by 7:30." Slick nodded tightly, and smiled to the man.

"Youse goils does a good job runin' dis place." The man commented downing his drink.

"Thank you sir." Slick said politely

Katz rolled her eyes, "Puttin' on da ritz huh Slick?" A dishtowel was suddenly chucked her way, and Katz grinned at her friend, but froze as the door to the opened. "Woah, speak o' the devils."

Slick's head snapped towards the door to see her brother and Dakota walk through it.

Splash walked up to the two newcomers, "Can I help you boys?" She asked sweetly.

Fox glanced at the girl in front of him and gave a polite smile as he returned to gazing over her head. There, a table close to the bar he spotted who he was looking for.

"Lead them over here would you Splash?" Spot called to the girl, who looked back and forth between the two parties, shrugged, and led the two over. "Fox." Spot said coolly getting up to stand face to face with him.

"Spot." Fox answered just as coolly.

"Fox."

"Jack, how nice to see you again as well." Fox said giving both boys cool looks

"Dakota." Spot and Jack said simultaneously to Dakota who only acknowledged the other two with a nod.

Slick watched the cool greetings with a bit of an ironic smile, "Doll Face, Splash, Fighter." She called quietly to the three girls who stood a few feet from the leaders.

The three glanced at Slick, at the boys, then back at Slick before walking over to her. "Yeah?" Splash replied.

"Let me deal with those four."

The three looked at her as though she was nuts, "You realize that it IS Jack an' Spot? The two you've avoided for the last month an' a half?" Fighter commented

Slick smirked, "Yeah, it's Spot, Jack, my brother an' uhm………Dakota, in one room at one table. Let me have a li'l fun?"

"Your brother?!" was the hushed cry.

"Yeah, so can I take the table from ya, an' you take over back 'ere?" The three nodded. "Score. Thanks." Slick smirked, grabbed a try and walked over to the quartet.

"She's nuts." Doll Face muttered.

"No kidding."

"So………" Spot said looking intently at Fox who sat across the table from him.

"Yer the one who wanted ta meet." Fox responded, "But you had some guts sendin' Lefty an' Righty inta Queens, much less inta our diner." Spot shrugged.

"You sent those two into Queens alone?!" Jack broke in looking at his friend.

"Yes, I did." Spot replied coolly still meeting Fox's eyes.

"Why didn' you tell me?" Fox asked quietly not breaking his eyes from Spot's.

"Tell ya what?"

"That my sister is back in New York." Dakota shook his head slightly at the statement, they were here to discuss the ties between Queens and Brooklyn, not Slick.

Spot broke his eyes from Fox's as he gave Jack a sharp sideways look. Both boys turned to look at the two from Queens, their expressions softer,

"Nevah thought about it. But she's gone now, sos it really don' do ya much good." Jack pointed out.

"Gone?" Dakota broke his silence, as he looked at the two other leaders confused.

"What do ya mean gone? I saw her only this mornin' an' she's been here for a couple months." Fox pointed out.

"You saw 'er this mornin'?" Spot said disbelievingly, "I 'aven't seen 'er in over a month, she ran away. Again." The four boys all looked at each other confused.

"Good evenin' boys, can I get ya somethin'?" All four pair of eyes snapped towards her, two of the four looked at her in shock, one in slight anger, and the other in amusement.

"What the hell?!"

"Hello to you too Spot."

"Slick?"

"Jack. I thought we already established our names a good while ago?"

"You. You're, you're still in New York?!"

"Yeah Spot I am, good job, ya figured it out yerself."

"But we thought………"

"That was the whole point Jack, for you to think I was gone, so Slider an' Snake would leave, an' not bother you."

"Ok, so I know this is a gimme, but they didn't know you were still here?" Fox broke in.

"No, they thought I'd left a month an' a half ago. I did leave, only to end up in Queens, where I stayed, an' I've worked here since." Slick explained. 

"You've been HERE?" Spot said in shock.

"Yep. Nice place this side o' Brooklyn and Queens is too."

"But wait………ain't these girls………"Jack trailed off as he glanced at the group of girls leaning against the bar smirking at the four boys.

"My best friends? Oh yeah, they're yer girlfriends too ain't they?" Slick said, smirking.

"Why I oughta………"

"Ya oughta what Spot?" Slick said standing over him.

"You've been here the whole time, an' ya nevah thought ta tell anyone, so we wouldn' hafta worry 'bout ya no more?" Jack asked looking at the girl seriously.

"That was the whole point Jack. No one knew I was here, so Slider an' Snake had no connections ta findin' me. Besides, why would you worry?"

"Because yer our friend." Spot growled.

"I left before."

"Exactly. Why wouldn' we miss ya? Ya ran out on us before, it ain't fair that ya did it again, after we jus' got ya back!" Jack cried.

"I left ta save yer skins! He would have killed ya! He don' make exceptions, I was yer friend, he knew it, he woulda killed ya!"

"We can take care o' ourselves!"

"See that's where yer wrong!! I'm sorry, but it wouldn' have made a difference, someone woulda ended up dead, an' like always, it woulda been my fault!" Slick shouted back, choking back tears. "Skatts?"

"Yeah?" Skatters walked over to stand by Slick.

"Take over fer me here?" Skatters nodded and took Slick's tray, "I would appreciate it if ya didn' tell the rest I'm here, it's simpler that way." Slick said to Spot and Jack, before turning and walking away.

"That li'l………" Spot trailed off his eyes blazing.

"Leave 'er alone." Fox said darkly glaring at Spot. Dakota gave Fox a surprised look before he got up and followed Slick.

"You ok?"

Dakota stopped dead. He had followed Slick into the alley behind the bar, he had expected to see her but not the young man with his arms around her.

"Yeah. Sorta." Slick muttered, not moving from the safety of the arms around her.

"What's up with you an' those boys?"

"Long story."

"You said that last time Spot an' Jack were here, how 'bout you tell me now."

"Not now Damien."

"Ahhem."

Slick's head jerked away from Damien's chest, to see Dakota standing in the doorway leading to the back of the stage from the alley. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to undo what had just happened. "Dakota." She said quietly, opening them again and looking at her friend.

"Slick." He answered his eyes emotionless as he gazed at her.

Damien took his arms away from Slick and backed up behind her, sensing there was something between these two as well. "Dakota………" Slick started, but let the name hang in the air.

"What Slick? What do you want?" Dakota said, his voice edgy.

"What's the matter with you!?" Slick cried.

"Nothing. I followed you to make sure you were ok, but I guess it was in vain, you have him." He said coolly, jerking his head at Damien.

"Knock it off." She said quietly, looking at the dirt.

"What did you say?"

"I said knock it off." Slick said calmly, looking back up at Dakota.

"I've got to get back in." Damien suddenly broke in, moving around Slick then walking past Dakota, "I'll talk to you later, Slick." He said glancing at her before walking in the door back into the bar.

Dakota adverted his eyes from Slick's, and shifted uncomfortably, "So."

"What was that for?" Slick asked.

"I don' know, I came to check on ya, an' I find ya in some othah guys arms, it kinda ticked me off a li'l I guess." Dakota said looking back up at her.

"I guess I can understand that."

"Who is 'e anyway?"

Slick smirked, "Do ya evah stop pryin'?"

He smiled, "Nah, not usually, not when yer concerned, cause heaven knows somebody's gotta keep an eye on you."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, right. Anyway, 'is name is Damien, 'e works 'ere, an' he's a………friend a mine."

"Jus' a friend?"

"I really don' think that's any o' yer business Mr. Chris."

"I think it is Miss. Sierra." He smirked at her, "We should probably go check on yer brother an' two othah friends, ta make sure none of 'em are dead yet."

"I think I surprised 'em all a li'l." Slick said thinking back to what had happened.

"Jus' a li'l."

"'Ow long you guys been back?"

"In New York?" Slick nodded. "Three years or so. Spot really wasn' too happy when the two of us showed back up on NY, especially since we're in Queens, which happens to boarder Brooklyn."

"I'm sure he wasn't. He didn' like Fox in the first place. Well maybe when the two first met, but afta………" Slick trailed off and looked at Dakota who nodded in understanding.

"He stood up fer you in there."

"Who?" Slick asked, looking at Dakota confused.

"Yer brother." Dakota said seriously, "He's not such a bad guy, you guys jus' gotta put the past behind ya, it couldn't be helped. An' you know it ain't yer fault jus' as he does, no matter what he says."

"I know, but I still feel guilty, part of it IS my fault though Dakota. I've let so many things get in the way, an' I keep runnin' it seems ta be the only way to make sure the people I care 'bout don' end up dead."

"Name four people who have died 'cause of you." Dakota challenged. Slick gave him a dark look, "Oh." He said looking back down at the ground.

Slick shook her head, "It's what always happens, there's nothin' I can do."

Dakota shrugged, "Maybe, but then again, maybe not. Now come on, let's go make sure there ain't been any murders inside." Slick smirked an' shook her head, but followed him back inside.


	14. The CoWritten Chapter wo a Name

Chapter 14—The CoWritten Chapter w/o a Name

"Where's he goin'?" Jack asked, following Dakota's exit with his eyes.

"Where do ya think Jack?" Fox sarcastically answered, giving the Manhattan leader a 'duh' sort of look.

"Lay off Fox." Spot growled. Fox shot him a dark look.

"So! What can I get you boys?" Skatters broke in tentatively, sensing the argument about to start up. 'So this is Fox' She thought to herself remembering the conversation her and the rest of the girls had had about him."

"Water." Fox ordered, glaring at Spot as though daring him to say anything about his choice of beverage.

He didn't instead, "I'd like one too. A watah that is."

Skatters gave him a look, but turned to Jack who understood why the other two chose what they did to drink and nodded. Skatters shook her head, this wasn't the Jack and Spot she knew, but she didn't say anything, instead she nodded herself and turned to get what they wanted.

5 Minutes Lata ( Soo sry 'bout that, but I had to have time elapse an' couldn' think of dialogue!)

"So." Fox said taking a sip of the water Skatters had just brought back for them.

"Yeah?" Spot responded, not really focused at what was at hand but more absorbed in his own thoughts.

"You tell me, yer the one that wanted ta meet here, sos what is it ya wanted ta talk 'bout?"

"Well a'fore all that 'appened, it was gonna be 'bout the war dats ready ta happen 'tween our territories." Spot replied coming out of his thoughts and looking seriously at Fox.

"Well lets talk 'bout that war, thinkin' bout Slick ain't doin' no one any good now. She's not involved wid our territories." Fox pointed out.

"No, but she's involved in both our lives, if ya don' 'member. Fact, she's onea da reasons you an' I don' get along so good."

"You two didn' get along way before ya knew Fox was Slick's brother Spot." Jack commented, breaking into the conversation.

"Why don' ya get along?" Skatters asked curiously. The group of boys looked at her surprised, not realizing that she hadn't moved away from the table since she'd delivered their waters.

Spot and Fox looked at each other, it was obvious to them why they didn't get along, they were two separate leaders, with different views on life. Not to mention the fact that they both weren't soon to forget the little incident from when they were younger.

"Don youse gots somethin bettah ta do?" Spot asked glaring at Skatters.

"Yea probably but dis is much more interestin." Skatters said as she slid into the chair that was empty because of a missing Dakota.

"So what am I missin?" A new voice said as Fox felt an elbow land gently on his shoulder.

"Katz what the hell are ya doin 'ere?" Fox asked as he looked up and glared into the dark green eyes of the girl who had approached him.

"She works 'ere ya gots a problem wid dat too?" Spot asked angrily.

"No, I gots a problem wid her bein near when I'm about ready ta kick yer ass." Fox said standing up challenging Spot.

"She can take care a' herself ya don gots ta be her damn protector." Spot challenged back standing up to face Fox. Katz had never really noticed Fox's height until she saw Spot looking up at the 6 foot giant he was going to fight.

"Alright you two dats enough." Katz said glaring at the both of them as she stepped between them.

"Get outta 'ere Katz, take 'er wid ya." Fox growled not taking his glare off of Spot.

"Skatters go wid Katz, Now." Jack said standing up and taking his place next to Spot. Skatters got up and stood behind her chair. Katz was still standing between the three boys and being their only reason for not killing each other, she felt obligated since the better reason still hadn't returned.

"Katz I mean it." Fox said grabbing her arm and pulling her out from in between them. Spot saw this as his window of opportunity and swung a punch at Fox's face. Fox's face snapped up as he forcefully let go of Katz's arm sending her stumbling back into an empty table. Skatters ran to Katz to make sure she was ok but Katz was on her feet and about to run towards the fight by the time she got there, Skatters held Katz back to make sure she didn't get herself killed. Fox had by now punched Spot so hard that Spot had fallen and hit his head on the steps under the door. Jack slipped in and punched Fox as hard as he could in the same spot that Spot had just as Slick and Dakota walked in the door.

"Oh shit." Dakota heard Slick whisper under her breath as they saw Jack punch Fox in the face and Fox stumble back a few steps. They both ran as fast as they could towards Jack and Fox. Slick stepped in front of Jack and put a hand on his chest to stop him from taking a step towards Fox. Dakota stepped in front of Fox and put his hand on Fox's shoulder to stop him. Katz pushed Skatters away and ran over to the fight scene. Skatters gave up and ran over to Spot to make sure he was ok, although Doll Face had beaten her to it.

"I don't know what happened 'ere but whatevah it was it's gonna stop now." Slick yelled at Jack and looking over her shoulder at her older brother.

"Yer right ya don know so back off and shut up." Fox said to Slick still glaring at Jack, Dakota pushed harder on Fox's shoulder when Fox tried to take a step towards Jack.

"He's right Slick back off." Jack said returning Fox's glare.

"Jack Kelly, take one more step into that fight and you can forget about there evah bein an 'us'" Fighter said behind Jack. (A/N-Go Fighter!!! Authors crack up laughing)

"Ya might wanna listen ta 'er, she probably means dat." Katz said as she sent a dirty look towards Jack. Jack turned around to face a pissed off Fighter.

"But, but…" He trailed off when she turned to walk away. Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry." He whispered to her, Fighter wrapped her arms around his neck as he laid his head on her shoulder. On the other hand Fox was still pissed and still pushing against the restraining Dakota.

"Knock it off Fox, that fight is over." Slick growled at Fox.

"That one is but this one's just beginning." He growled back as he pushed Dakota out of the way and took at step towards Slick only to run into a very pissed off Katz.

"Either one of you actually fight and I'll never forgive you." Katz said to the both of them.

"That's fine, not everyone in Queens has ta like me." Fox said as he pushed Katz out of the way and lunged at Slick. Slick calmly stepped out of the way and Fox, not expecting her to be that smart, fell flat on his face. Slick smoothly grabbed her knife out of her boot and knelt down to Fox to who had rolled over on his back to stand up. Slick held the knife at his neck and glared into his stormy, icy, blue eyes, her own a stormy, cold gray.

"It's over. And if you hurt her in anyway shape or form, I'll kill you, it's not illegal ta kill family." Slick said to Fox slowly getting up keeping her knife where it could easily be used to kill if need be.

"Slick that's enough." Katz said stepping in front of her best friend and glaring into her stormy gray eyes.

"Come on Fox." Dakota said as he reached a hand down to help his leader up off the ground.

"Well I'm glad ya learned 'ow ta fight Slick, now I don gots ta worry aboutcha not bein able ta defend yerself no matter yer outfit." Fox said to Slick, referring to the fact she was still in a skirt, as he grabbed Dakota's hand and pulled himself up off the ground.

"Gee thanks, making ya glad was da first t'ing on my list a' t'ings ta do taday." Slick said sarcastically.

"Good bye Slick." Fox said as he turned on his heel to leave. Dakota walked up behind Slick and gently pushed on her shoulder.

"Come visit me sometime 'eh?" Dakota asked Slick with a slight smile on his face at the thought of Slick coming to his LH.

"I'll think about it." Slick said her tone of voice more gentle than had been with Fox.

"Bye." Dakota said as he took a step and gave her a small kiss on the cheek before turning and running out the door to catch up with Fox.

"What'd I miss?" Spot mumbled opening his eyes and looking up into Doll Face's eyes that were looking down at him, and he realized that his head was sitting in her lap.

"Nothin at all." Slick answered as she put her knife back in it's right full spot.

"Yea nothin at all." Jack mumbled with his arms still wrapped around Fighter.

"Alright I knew Slick couldn't lie (A/N--Slick-Gee thanx fer pointin' dat out ta da world Katz! Katz-no problem) but I thought you could lie bettah den dat Jack." Spot said as he slowly sat up, he started to feel top heavy and started to sway. Doll Face slipped a supporting arm around his waist to stop him from swaying and helped him stand up. The two walked over to an empty table and Doll Face helped Spot sit down in a chair.

"Gee thanks Spot." Slick said as she walked over to the table and sat across from Spot and Doll Face who had made herself comfortable in Spot's lap. Katz walked over and stood behind Slick's chair as Fighter and Jack slightly let go of each other and sat down in a chair similar to the position Doll Face and Spot had gotten themselves into. Skatters figured that since she didn't want to get in the middle of a fight that may start between Slick, Katz or the two boys, she would be more help behind the bar than at the table. As soon as Skatters walked behind the bar she jumped a foot in the air when she heard a male voice behind her.

"Hey Skatters, do me a favor and ask Slick come 'ere." Damien said from behind her.

"Yea sure," Skatters mumbled as she left the bar and walked to the table. "Hey Slick Damien wants ta see ya." She said ta Slick and pointed towards the bar where Damien was attempting to make himself look busy.

"Shit" Slick muttered.

"What did ya do now?" Katz asked coolly. Slick glanced over her shoulder at her best friend, who didn't have the most pleasant look on her face, she only shook her head indicating they'd talk later, but now wasn't exactly the best time. Sighing Slick got up and walked past the other girls that were scattered fairly close to the two leaders and their 'girls'.

"Ya wanted ta see me?" Slick said feigning innocence as she hoisted herself up onto the bar's counter.

"Yeah I did, ya wanna go sit outside er somethin?"

"So this is a serious talk then huh?" Slick asked

"It could be." Damien answered looking calmly at the girl sitting in front of him. "Common." He reached for her hand and pulled her of the counter and towards him. Slick adverted her eyes from his, not willing to meet them, but she followed him reluctantly, knowing what was to come, and not really looking forward to it.

Slick shuddered as the cool night air hit her, it was a shocking contrast from the heat of the bar, but Damien made no move to put his arm around her. Sighing she rubbed her arms in order to conserve some body heat as well as out of nervousness. "So." She said questioningly as Damien moved to lean against the building's brick wall in the alley.

"Who was that?" He asked, deciding it best to be frank.

"Which one?" Slick countered stepping to lean against the opposite wall and looking at him calmly.

"Well, I'm guessin' the one dat came out here when we were out 'ere's name is Dakota, an' dat othah guy, well I'm guessin' his name is Fox, based on da number a times I heard it yelled in there earlier. But that really don' tell me much, would ya care ta explain dat fer starters?"

"Fer starters?" Slick questioned raising an eyebrow and looking at him skeptically.

"Yeah, I's got othah questions that I'll save fer later, but right now, I'd kinda like ta know who those two are, since they both seem ta know ya quite well." Damien answered calmly.

"Well, Fox is my brother, there's really no story there I wanna go inta, but that's all he is, my brother. Unfortunately." (A/N-Don' take that personally Fox!!)

"You nevah wanna go inta any stories." Damien stated.

"True." Slick consented after a moment, "But I really ain't gonna go inta that one."

Damien shrugged, "Alright. So who's Dakota?" he asked looking her in the eye.

Slick looked away from him towards the street at the other end of the alley watching the passer-byes. "A friend." She said quietly.

"Jus' a friend?"

Slick shrugged, "Sure why not?"

"He loves you."

Slick's eyes snapped back towards Damien. "How do you know?" She asked searchingly.

"I can tell." He said quietly, looking at the dirt. "So what's that story?" He asked raising his eyes to hers.

Slick shook her head, "Dakota is Fox's best friend an' has been for like ever. The last I saw him before taday was 3 an' a half years ago when him an' Fox were out explorin' an' found me in Chicago. I suppose we kinda had a thing fer each other, but I forgot about it with everything else happenin', I guess he hasn't, it was a li'l bit of a surprise ta see him 'ere again." She confessed.

Damien just studied the girl before him silently. He wouldn't deny that he had feelings for her, he did, strong ones too, but he was cautious now, she had a past, enemies with grudges, and a guy who hadn't gotten over her.

"Ya hate me now?" Damien snapped back to reality, Slick was back to watching out the end of the alley a neutral look on her face.

"No. I don' hate ya." He said still watching her. She glanced over, skepticism clearly written on her face. Damien shrugged. "I don'. I don' think there's anythin' ya could do ta make me hate ya. Maybe a li'l hurt or angry yeah, but not hate ya." He said as honestly as he could.

Slick studied him with skepticism, an eyebrow casually raised, "Ya do know that people who happen ta get close ta me usually end up dead don' ya?" Damien shifted slightly. No he hadn't heard that one, but still. He liked this girl. Didn't he? She shook her head, "Sorry. I ain't tryin' ta scare ya away, honest. Jus' a heads up k?"

He nodded, still absorbed in his own thoughts, Slick sighed. She did like Damien, but she liked him well enough that she really didn't want him dead. Pushing off the wall, she turned to walk by him, to go back inside. Damien reached out his hand and caught Slick's arm as she went by. She looked at his hand on her arm, back up to his face, back down and back up again, he smiled and almost laughed as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. Slick's muscles tightened instinctively, but slowly relaxed. 'Life ain' all bad.' She thought silently.

BACK INSIDE

A Li'l Comic Relief (maybe)

"Does anyone undastand that girl?" Nevada asked everyone as she sat down on a step by the door, after flipping the 'OPEN' sign to 'CLOSED'.

"Nah, gave up tryin' a long time ago." Spot answered her, leaning his head against Doll Face's shoulder.

"I mean honestly! Is there anyone she don' got some sorta history wid? It's kinda annoyin' all these people poppin' outta nowhere's land." Dreamer voiced from her position a top a table just to the left of where Spot, Jack and their 'girls', plus Katz, who had taken over Slick's chair, sat.

"Fox an' 'Kota are the only ones I remember. Well plus you guys, cause she didn' want ya ta know she was here." Belle replied, directing her last statement to the two leaders, as she took a seat on a chair at the table Dreamer occupied.

"Which, by the way, she'd kill ya both, if ya told any o' yer boys Jack." Katz added, leaning back in her chair. Silence followed her statement. For a moment at least.

"I'm so bored!!!" Splash complained from her perch on the table next to Dreamer's. Laughter followed her complaint. "Well I AM!" She proclaimed regally.

"When ain' ya bored Splash?" Emotions asked coming up from behind the girl, causing Splash to jump a good foot.

"Geez 'Motions! The next time ya plan on sneekin' up on someone, do 'em a favor an' let 'em know before hand!" Splash cried to the brown-haired girl who sat beside her.

"But what would be the point then?" Fighter asked. Splash stuck her tongue out at the green-eyed girl who still had her seat in Jack's lap.

More laughter followed. "Sheesh! Ya'll keep laughin'. Ya want me ta stand up an' do a comedy routine too?" Splash asked the group.

"It might help pass da time." Doll Face said leaning back into Spot, who tightened his arms around her.

"Anythin' ta stop these foah (4) from makin' out!" Katz said gesturing to the two couples at her table.

"What? Ya don' wanna see me kiss this goigous goil?" Spot asked, kissing Doll Face.

"No, not especially Spot." Belle said throwing a towel at her brother to emphasize her point.

"How 'bout this then?" Jack asked kissing Fighter, trying to show up his friend.

"Nah, not to keen on seein' dat eithah." Nevada said, while Fighter lightly smacked Jack over the head.

"Geez, you guys ain't any fun." Jack complained rubbing the back of his head. The rest of the group cracked up.

"Hey uh, Katz."

Katz glanced at Skatters who had pulled a chair up next to her and sat down, "Yeah?"

"I don' mean ta pry but doncha got a problem wid Damien out dere talkin' ta Slick? Ya almost ripped 'is head off before." Skatters asked curiously.

Katz shrugged, "I ain't gonna rule 'er life. Or tell 'er what ta do 'bout him."

"Really? That sounds SO outta character." Fighter said, a smart-ass grin on her face.

"Eh, shuddup." Katz said throwing the towel that Belle had thrown at Spot at Fighter, who caught it with a smirk.

"Well she's gotta point." Emotions agreed grinning at Katz, who rolled her eyes in return.

The back door opened a minute later and Damien and Slick came walking back in, "Speak o' the Devils." Belle muttered.

"So that's what people call me behind my back huh? A devil?" Slick asked walking up to the table where Katz and the two leaders still sat, Damien in-step beside her.

"………uh………that's not what I meant." Belle said uneasily glancing at the others before looking back at Slick, who to her surprise had a smile on her face

"I know, I was jus' givin' ya trouble Belle." Slick said smiling, but the smile left her face as her eyes met Katz's.

"So you keepin' that promise that you'll nevah forgive me cause Fox an' I fought?" Slick asked Katz offhandedly.

"Wait………you an' Fox got inta a fight?" Spot asked surprised.

"Yeah, you were kinda unconscious by the door." Slick replied still looking at Katz. "Katz, I'm sorry, but ya know it was kinda unavoidable. An' honestly he had it comin'." (A/N-Sry Fox!)

Katz looked back at her best friend, "Yeah. Yeah he did. But still."

"I think it's time fer us ta go." Jack said, sensing the tension in the air. He glanced at Spot who nodded, both whispered something to the two girls, who smiled and reluctantly got up.

"Yeah, we should be cleanin' up too." Emotions said getting up.

"Don' worry 'bout it." Damien broke in. "Av. an' I'll take care of it." He said motioning to Avery who had taken over behind the bar, and surprisingly enough, hadn't said a word all night.

"Thanks." Slick said kissing him on the cheek amidst Katz's glare. Fighter and Doll Face laughed, but took advantage of the moment and kissed their boys before walking them out, as the rest of the girls followed.


	15. Aftermath

Chapter 15—Aftermath

"Good God, could you have argued a li'l more?!" Dakota yelled at Fox as they crossed the boarder into Queens.

"Probably, but I doubt ya woulda liked ta see that." Fox stated simply glancing at his right-hand man out of the corner of his eye.

Dakota just shook his head, "We were there ta discuss Brooklyn an' Queens, not yer sister." He pointed out.

"Well ya know what? She was jus' a li'l more prominent on my mind right then ok?" Fox snapped, "'sides I doubt we'll have any problems fer awhile anyway. I think I soaked Spot hard enough ta get it through even his head, that I don' feel like bein' messed with." Dakota had to agree, though he didn't say anything in response.

"So………" Dakota started, but was promptly cut off by Fox.

"Don' even say it 'Kota, or I'll soak yer ass as well, an' don' think I won'." He said, knowing exactly what was running through the other boy's mind.

Dakota smirked, "Alright, ya don' wanna look, I will then."

"This mean yer ovah Slick then?" Fox asked giving Dakota a serious glance.

A minute's silence passed, "Yeah, I am. That girl's got some serious spunk." Dakota said, a sly smile appearing on his lips.

Fox shook his head, "I don' think ya can handle her." He said, silently laughing at his best friend.

"Brian. Please, I can handle any girl, especially………"

"A smart-aleckly, pushy, outgoing, sarcastic, short one?" Fox broke in, a grin on his face, moving from the street to the sidewalk as he turned down a new street and continued towards their LH. (A/N-Author cracks up laughing-cookies to who can figure out who they's talkin' bout!!)

Dakota smacked him over the head, tripping slightly on the curb as he did so, "Of course!"

Fox laughed, "Yeah, 'of course'. Common you's I's tired." He said yawning and falling back into the familiar New York accent as he did so.

"Yeah, yeah, ya jus' don' wanna argue with me no more, cause ya know I's right." Dakota said, getting to the LH stairs before Fox, and standing on the second one while Fox was still on the pavement so he was looking the taller boy in the eye.

"What are ya talkin' 'bout?" Fox asked amused, as he looked Dakota in the eye, Dakota paused, trying to come up with something to say, Fox shook his head at the other boy and moved around him, up the stairs and into the LH.

Dakota let Fox go by him, as he tried to remember what he was going to say, but suddenly sensing that the LH door was about to close and probably lock behind Fox. He finished dashing up the stairs and got his boot in the door just as Fox was about to shut it. "Don' think so!" he cried sticking his tongue out at Fox in a momentarily childish manner.

"So close." Fox muttered, turning and walking up the stairs to the bunkroom.

"Yet so far." Dakota finished following him, a grin clearly visible on his face.

"Well, that was sure an' interestin' night." Jack said breaking the silence as he and Spot continued toward the heart of Brooklyn.

"Yeah." Spot agreed, not paying attention, lucky for him, his monotone response made sense.

"Spot?" Jack left the name hanging in the air as he looked at his friend.

"Yeah."

"Spot, you's gay?" Jack asked, testing the Brooklyn leader.

"Yeah." Was the monotone response once again, Jack started snickering which pulled Spot from his thoughts, "Wait, what?" he asked confused, looking at Jack who just started laughing harder. "Shuddup you, or I'll throw yer ass off the bridge." He threatened replaying his memory to remember what Jack said.

Jack knew he should shut up, knowing full well that in the mood Spot was in, he would do such a thing. But in light of the question he'd asked, he couldn't resist one more stab at his friend, "I wonder how you's boys gonna take da news Spot, an' jus' think of poor Doll Face."

"Jack." Came the death warning tone from Spot.

"I's shuttin' up." Jack said quickly taking a step away from his friend, a smart-ass grin still clearly visible on his face.

"Good." Spot growled 'an this is the guy that was my second………' he thought to himself, as he turned down the next street and walked up the few steps that led up to the Brooklyn Newsie LH door. Jack followed at a slower pace, not wanting to be subject to any fist lashing from Spot.

"So how did it go?" Shiner asked the two leaders as they walked into the common room.

Spot looked at Shiner who was sitting with a pape in his lap in front of the fire, Lefty and Righty lounging on either side of him. "Eh." Was all he said in response, moving to sit in a chair that occupied the room.

"Sounds interestin'. Fox actually show?" He questioned. Lefty and Righty looked up curious as well.

"Yeah. Saw a friend o' yers as well." Spot said trying to hide his rising anger as he thought of the silver-eyed girl once again.

"Ya saw Slick? I thought she woulda made herself a li'l less conspicuous if youse two were around." Shiner said, looking at the two leaders confused.

"You knew she was there?!" Spot shouted springing to his feet, his anger finding a new outlet. The two younger boys jumped, but stayed down, while Shiner jumped to his feet.

"Yeah." He said cautiously.

"Fer how long?" Jack asked, breaking into the conversation.

"Jack, let me handle my newsie ok?" Spot said darkly, turning to Jack and giving him a deathly glare. "For how long Shiner?" He asked Shiner, his voice dark and almost poisonous.

"Since , since I saw her an' the othah girls walkin' back ta Queens one night, I was patrolin' our boardah." Shiner said, leaving out the fact Laz was with him.

"That's why ya wanted ta walk them all back ta Queens that one night." Jack said thinking out loud. Shiner rolled his eyes at Jack, with a 'duh' expression written clearly on his face.

"Very good Jack, how 'bout you take Left an' Right upstairs?" Spot said turning once again back to the other leader in aggravation. Jack seemed to contemplate arguing for a moment, but seeing Spot's face, he quickly changed his mind and herded the younger two upstairs. "Why didn' ya tell me?" Spot asked, turning his attention back to Shiner.

"Because she asked me not ta." Shiner said simply.

"I'm yer leader." Spot pointed out standing in front of Shiner.

"But she's my friend." He countered, looking defiantly back at Spot.

"Anyone else know she was back?" Spot asked.

Shiner contemplated telling him that Laz was with him that first night in Brooklyn, but thought better of it, due to the fact, Laz was likely to kill him if he got Spot mad at him. "Nah, not that I know of."

"Alright, common, I's tired." Spot motioned for Shiner to follow him as he went around the banister and headed up the stairs toward the bunkroom. Shiner breathed an inaudible sigh of relief, he was still alive, in once piece and still living in Brooklyn.

Walking into the bunkroom a minute later Shiner found Spot at Jack's throat in a corner of the room. (A/N-GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!! At throatyelling at him) He smirked, Spot wasn't one to cross and get angry this time of night, Jack was lucky to still be alive considering the amount of times he'd been yelled at, though, all things considered, so was Shiner.

"'Ey Spot." A Newsie from another area of the room called to Spot, in hopes to keep him away from murdering the other leader.

"What?" Spot asked dangerously, turning from Jack to the speaker.

"What 'appened at Salvatores?" The boy known as Dirt asked, his dark brown hair shading his eyes.

"Yeah, what 'appened?" Laz looking up from his game of poker with four other Brooklyn LH members.

"A lotta fightin'." Spot said simply, turning from Jack and going to his bunk tiredly.

"Didja solve anythin'?" Lefty asked curiously from his top bunk, Righty looking just as curious from his place on the bottom bunk.

Spot smirked at the two boys, "Yeah, solved a few t'ings. Go ta bed boys, we won' need ta worry 'bout Queens fer awhile." He said, climbing into his own bed.

Jack seemed about to make some sort of counterpoint, but was promptly shut up by Spot's deathly glare in his direction. He shrugged in feigned innocence, and helped himself to an empty bunk as the rest of the Brooklyn boys followed their leader's example.

For the ten girls, the walk home was a fairly quiet one, with only little snips of conversation here and there. The only two that were completely silent was the 'leader' of the group and her best friend who, not to anyone's surprise, seemed to be about ready to explode at each other at any moment. The other eight could feel the tension and knew the two well enough to stay out of their way, so Katz and Slick walked side by side at the end of the pack, not looking nor speaking to one another. They all reached the LH in record time due to the pace Belle and Splash set from the front of the group.

Katz sped up her pace as she neared the steps leading up to the LH door. "What the hell da ya think yer doin'?!" Slick asked incredulously as Katz took the steps two at a time and slammed the open door in her face once the others had gone through. Katz didn't answer but merely glared at her before opening the door once again and stalking through it, scattering a few of the other girls who also made their home at the LH in her wake.

"Sheesh! What's her problem?" One of the inhabitants complained loudly watching Katz take the stairs up to their bunk room also two at a time. Slick shook her head at the girl, silently advising her to stay out of it, as she followed her friend's rampage. She reached the door to the bunkroom just as that too was slammed in her face, rolling her eyes, Slick opened it and followed, not being slowed up in the least bit.

"Alright let's talk about this young lady." Slick yelled glaring at Katz as she slammed the door behind her.

"About what?" Katz asked angrily, her dark green eyes glaring back at Slick.

"Why the hell are you mad at me? He deserved it." Slick yelled trying to defend herself. "I'd understand you being mad if you had a crush on him though." Slick said raising an eyebrow in question.

"Who does Katz have a crush on?" Splash asked, Skatters' eyes grew wide as she realized who Slick was talking about.

"Nobody." Katz said glaring at Slick as she turned on her heel and climbed out the window up the fire escape to the roof. Slick followed close behind.

On the roof Katz started pacing back and forth, when she noticed Slick had followed her she sent a look of death in her direction.

"I'm not going to be mad if you have a crush on my brother Katz." Slick said innocently.

"I don't care ok? I don't like Fox like that and you of all people should know that." Katz snapped at Slick.

"Yer right I never should have suggested it, but about us fighting, he deserved it and you know it." Slick said again trying to defend herself. Katz stopped pacing crossed her arms across her chest and glared at her best friend.

"Yea that doesn't mean you should have done it without me, or that you should have kept those secrets from me." Katz said to Slick, her tone not as dark as before.

"Well, I didn't want you to get hurt and well… I don't tell many people any secrets of mine and it's not like yer not keeping some from me." Slick replied back pointing at Katz.

"I can take care of myself and yea I am keeping secrets from you but only because I don't want you running back to Chicago and opening yer big mouth." Katz snapped back at Slick.

"Ok 1) I don't have that big a' mouth and 2) who the hell is in Chicago that would be worth running back to?" Slick thought about it for a moment and then gasped, "No! You and Blade???" Slick asked as her eyes widened.

"He doesn't know I'm here and he doesn't need to know, it's better if he keeps thinkin I'm dead ok?" Katz snapped turning her back on her best friend.

"So you were his girl that he lost?" Slick asked walking up in front of Katz and looking into her dark green eyes.

"What does he just randomly talk about his ex-girlfriends?" Katz asked sarcastically.

"No, just when I catch 'im staring out into the night alone an' I can tell he's thinkin' about someone I asked and he told me that he lost the girl that he loved." Slick said softly.

"He never loved me it's over anyway can't we just drop the subject?" Katz asked her eyes softening.

"No, we can't and yes he did love you an' he still does, sorry if that scares you but it's the truth." Slick said almost getting angry with Katz.

"Why can't we drop it? There's nothing interesting to know. The relationship is over and he can rot in hell." Katz snapped glaring at her.

"There's plenty interesting to know, like when, how did it happen, why were you in Chicago in the first place, why didn't you tell me you two are in love." Slick asked Katz. Katz heard the last comment and grabbed the collar of Slick's shirt and shook her fist in Slick's face.

"We are not still in love Sierra, and this conversation is over understand?" Katz said angrily as her dark green eyes met the silver gray ones in front of her before turning on her heel and walking away.

"Yea sure whatever, you won't be sayin' that when he comes back fer ya." Slick said to Katz's retreating back.

Katz stopped dead, and turned around to face her again. "What do ya mean 'when he comes back'? He doesn' even know I'm here!" Slick shrugged and walked by her friend, towards the fire escape. "Sierra." Katz said dangerously

Slick turned back and looked at Katz innocently, "Yes?"

"What the hell do you mean?" Katz asked again, her eyes getting darker for like the hundredth time that day, Slick gave her an innocent smile and turned and continued towards the escape ladder. Katz rolled her eyes at her friend and followed her in, muttering unpleasantly at her back the entire way. Katz climbed down the ladder of the fire escape and in through the window into the bunkroom

"Damn." Fighter said, looking at the two as they came back through the window, the girls were in bed already waiting for her and Slick to return to turn out the light.

"Ha! No blood! I believe that'll be a quartah Fightah." Nevada said with a smirk to Fighter then a sweet smile to Katz and Slick who both rolled their eyes and made for their beds.

"Damn." Fighter said again reaching over onto her nightstand and pulling a quarter out of her money purse and flipping it to Nevada who caught it easily.

"Nice ta know ya all love us so." Slick said sarcastically pulling the sheets over her head and turning to face the wall.

"Aww, ya know we do." Dreamer laughed and turned off the light, ending an incredibly long day.


End file.
